A Lovely Christmas Nightmare
by awsmpup
Summary: This is a half-half fic. First half starts off NBC, then moves off into Corpse Bride, and both parts are intertwined. It's a Jack/OC and Victor/Emily. 1st Half: Holly is the daughter of Santa, but who cares about all the snow when nothing exciting happens? 2nd Half: Victor didn't ask for this. He never wanted to be married. So why is he now married corpse? And why does he like it!
1. Chapter 1

**Me: Alright, so, first off, for my other stories, SAO should be updated soon. I just need some inspiration for the epilogue that people have been asking for, which should come to me soon due to a family thing that I shall not explain since it'll give away what's going to happen. Second, this story is a half and half. First half is all Jack/OC. Nothing against Sally, but, come on, it's Jack Freaking Skellington! First animated crush, not joking. But don't worry, Sally is in this story and there is definitely no Sally bashing. Then, the second half, is a rewrite of the Corpse Bride with my own things placed in due to circumstances I've written into this story. But, never fear! It's not Victor/OC, because I just can't see that happening. Nay! It is, drum roll please, Victor X freakin' Emily, just like the freakin' movie should've freakin' done! Sorry. I freakin' love Victor/Emily and I cried at the end and shouted at my TV when Victor got with Victoria. I mean, what the fluff?! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this story!**

Holly sighed as she painted one of the toy trains in her personal workshop. Paint trains. That's what she's been doing for the the past couple centuries. Paints trains and other toys. At first, when she was younger, she couldn't wait till she was old enough to help her father, the one and only Santa Claus, with her amazing holiday.

And it was great. Of course she could've done without the teasing from her older sister, Carol. They love each other, sure, but sometimes the teasing was a bit too much for the younger sister. Anyway, Holly just wished for a change of scenery is all. Everyday, every hour, it was painting toys and celebrating Christmas...Every stupid day. There was absolutely nothing new! No pop outs, no surprises, nothing!

And Holly was getting a bit restless with it.

The white-haired woman sighed once again as she placed the finished toy on the top of the pyramid she created with the other finished toys. The char under her scraped across the floor as she moved to leave. She locked up her workshop (not that she really needed too as the elves and other beings living in Christmas Town would never think about stealing or anything), and slowly made her way through the streets. She gave a soft and small chuckle at the elves who passed her in a sleigh, pretending to be her father.

Soon, she made it to the snowy forest near the edge of the town. Her mother and father didn't really like her going through it, but Holly couldn't help herself. She was drawn to the beautiful woods. But she never ventured too far inside, for fear of how her parents would react. This time, however, she dared herself to continue onwards, eager to see what laid beyond.

Eventually, Holly came to a small enclosure with marked trees. She blinked in surprise at them. They were lightly dusted with snow, not as much as the other trees making it rather odd, but she shrugged it off. It was much too interesting for her to care. One tree had a marking in the shape of a clover, another had the shape of a decorated egg, and there were more.

But the one that caught most of Holly's attention, was the one of a carved pumpkin. It was so creepy, it's black holed eyes staring at her with that wide grin. But that just put Holly in even more awe. She always did have a thing for the creepy and crawly, much to the disgust and horror of her mother and sister. Her father didn't seem to care as long as she was happy.

After a bit of investigating, Holly discovered that the marking were actually doors. She glanced back towards the direction of Christmas Town, and figured they wouldn't think much of it if she disappeared for a few hours. After all, it's what she always did. So, the woman slowly opened the door. She could hear some music coming from the darkness of the pathway which had a creepy tone to it. Though Holly couldn't get enough of it. So with one last glance back, she stepped inside the tree, only to fall down. She laughed the entire way.

Holly landed harshly onto the ground, letting out a pained grunt. After a moment of recovered, she sat up and looked around to see she landed in a cemetery. She stood and made her way towards the exit, looking at the graves in excited as she passed.

As she left the graveyard, she stared in awe at all the creatures walking around. There were vampires and werewolves, and all other kinds of dark creatures that she only ever heard about from books. She let out a small squeal as she bounced with excitement before rushing through the town, taking in all the sights. Soon, though, she noticed how much she stood out in the dark place, and decided to blend in instead.

So she entered the first clothing store she saw and was soon exploring in a black, orange, and gray outfit. Holly skipped through the town, saying hello to practically everyone she met. She gained a few curious looks from those who realized she was new (and they rarely ever got newcomers), but the excited woman ignored them.

However, Holly wasn't paying attention to where she was going exactly, and accidentally ran into someone. She would've fallen flat on her face, but the one she ran into quickly intervened and caught her right before she hit the ground. Holly blushed in embarrassment as she chuckled nervously at the skeleton man who helped her. Said man gently lifted her to her feet and she twirled a strand of hair, keeping her eyes away from him, embarrassed of what had just occurred.

"I apologize for, you know, running into you…." She muttered quietly, internally hitting herself for making such a mistake her first day in town. The skeleton chuckled, seemingly amused with her nervousness.

"It's quite alright. Though I don't believe I've seen you in town before. We don't often get visitors."

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm new here. My name's Holly" She introduced, holding out a hand, having decided to just man up and move on from the past.

"Jack. Jack Skellington."

And that, my dear readers, is what started a beautiful friendship between two lost souls.

 _~Skippy!~_

It's been two years since Holly discovered Halloween Town. Two years since she met Jack, her best friend. And one year since she realized she was in love with him. Sure, he was a skeleton, but, oddly enough, that just made Holly love him even more due to his diversity from others.

Ever since her first visit, Holly had been going back to Halloween Town whenever she got the chance, so it was usually every other day where she was disappear into the woods. Her family had continually asked where she kept going, but Holly kept her lips shut. And the same with Jack and her friends back in Halloween Town. Neither side knew she was with the other, and sometimes it was a bit much for Holly to handle, but after a day by Jack's side, she always forgot about it.

Lately, though, Holly couldn't help but feel as though Jack was drifting away from her. He always had a tendency to zone out in his thoughts, mostly due to the pressure he felt as the Pumpkin King, but it seemed wore as of late. And he never talked about it should Holly ask.

So she could do nothing except complain to Sally the Ragdoll. She was a creation of Dr. Finklestein, and was almost as restless as Holly was before she found Halloween Town. Then again, she might just be more as she constantly poisons her creator so she could get away for a few hours. Either way, Sally always lent a listening ear to her. Literally. Sally didn't understand many phrases at the time since she was only a few days old when Holly met her, and she took off her ear and gave it to Holly when she misunderstood her.

Sometimes, though, Holly couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Sally when she spent time with Jack. The ragdoll and skeleton became good friends when Holly introduced them, and the Christmas girl always felt as though they felt a little more for one another than they let on. Which, of course, hurt Holly to think about since she loved Jack.

Anyway, Halloween had just finished and Holly couldn't help but feel as though something terribly wrong was about to happen.

She just hoped it had nothing to do with Jack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Me: Hey guys! So, basically, this story is actually fully completed. It's just, well, we went for a family thing down state, and I thought we were going to hotel, but we were staying with my grandpa instead, and he doesn't have wifi. So, sorry. If I knew beforehand, I would've waited to post this story. But, oh well. I'll update again later on, probably around midnight, to make it up to you guys. Please Enjoy and Review!**

Holly searched through Halloween Town for her beloved Jack. The other creatures were dancing and singing in celebration of a great Halloween that year. Like every other year. The ghosts were floating through the graveyard as she made her way towards the exit.

" _Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? Come with us and you will see. This, our town of Halloween!_ " Holly shook her head fondly as shadows popped up on the graves. Wind blew past her, ruffling her hair as the gate opened with a creak. A couple of ghosts flew by and began stick jack o'lanterns (named after the pumpkin king of course) onto spikes in the gate. " _This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Pumpkins scream in the dead of night! This is Halloween, everybody make a scene._ "

" _Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright_ " Holly sang, patting Lock's head as she past the trio of children. She always held a fondness for them, even though the other creatures didn't really appreciate their tricks on the town, and it didn't help that they had a tendency to follow Oogie Boogie's examples. Holly always got a bad feeling when she was around the sack creature, so she avoided him as much as possible.

" _It's our town. Everybody scream! In this town of Halloween._ "

" _I am the one hiding under your bed. Teeth grown sharp and eyes glowing red._ "

" _I am the one hiding under your stairs fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair._ "

" _This is Halloween. This is Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. In this town, we call home, everyone hail to the pumpkin song_ " The vampires sing, coming out of their coffins since the sun was down and flying into the sky as they turn into bats. Holly waves at them as she walks past them.

The mayor, who was just an elected official and didn't really have any say in the going ons of the town as Jack did, was on his podium, dancing, " _In this town, don't we love it now? Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!_ "

Holly gave the black cat she usually fed a scratch on it's back, ignoring the window that shattered as the cat passed. " _Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can. Something's waiting to pounce, now you'll-_ "

"Scream!" The harlequin demon popped out of the trash can, making Holly give a small jump, but otherwise ignored her as she always tried to scare creatures walking by.

" _This is Halloween_ " The werewolf sang.

" _Red 'n' Black._ "

" _And slimy green_ " The melting man added coming out of his manhole.

"Aren't you scared?" The werewolf asked Holly, who shook her head with an apologetic smile. After two years of visiting the town, Holly figured nothing could scare her anymore.

" _Well, that's just fine. Say it once, say it twice, take a chance and roll the dice. Ride with the moon in the dead of night_ " The witches sang flying out of their well.

" _Everybody scream. Everybody scream_ " Hangman's tree sang waddling through.

" _In our town of Halloween_ " The hanged skeletons on the tree finished. 

The clown who's face would be ripped off wheeled around on his unicycle, _"I am the clown with the tear-away face._ " As if to prove it, he took off the front of his head to reveal black darkness, " _Here in a flash and gone without a trace._ "

" _I am the 'who' when you call 'who's there?' I am the wind blowing through your hair_ " The whispers of the wind said, shaking through Holly and Sally's hair as the ragdoll finished brushing her strands of yarn and joined her friend on her search for Jack.

Oogie Boogie's shadow then appeared in the yellow moon above, much to Holly's dismay as she shivered, " _I am the shadow on the moon at night. Filling your dreams to the brim with fright._ " His shadow then transformed into a group of bats, making Holly sigh as the sack disappeared.

" _This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_ " The creatures sang as they marched towards the town square for the annual after-holiday meeting.

A guillotine sliced apart a jack o'lantern before one of the children popped out of the back where the heads usually go, along with his bat-creature sibling, " _Tender lumplings everywhere. Life no good without a good scare._ "

" _That's our job, but we're not mean. In our town of Halloween_ " their parents sang.

" _In this town, don't we love it now? Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!_ " the mayor repeated, as some ghouls dragged a fake horse with a scarecrow on it's back towards the square.

" _Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back and scream like a banshee, make you jump out of your skin,_ " Holly began to rush towards the square, already knowing who the scarecrow was, Sally was following behind her at a slower pace, mostly keeping an eye out for her prison war-er, Creator. The scarecrow grabbed a torch from one of the ghouls as it passed by, " _This is Halloween, everybody scream. Won't ya please make way for a very special guy._ " The scarecrow placed the flaming torch into it's mouth and began to catch on fire. " _Our man Jack is king of the pumpkin patch. Everyone hail to the pumpkin king!_ "

" _This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Halloween_ " Holly sang along with the crowd as she watched her best friend dance around, his costume completely on fire, before jumping into the fountain.

" _In this town, we call home, everyone hail to the pumpkin song_ " Two kids sang, leaning over the edge to get a peek at their beloved king, who soon began to rise out of the water, his scarecrow costume gone and replaced with his normal pinstriped suit. The crowd began to cheer as Jack gave a bow.

Holly giggled as she clapped along while the mayor began congratulating the creatures, "Great Halloween everyone!"

Jack, with his long legs, easily climbed off the fountain with two strides, "I believe it was our most horrible yet! Thank you everyone!"

"No" The mayor immediately waved him off, "Thanks to _you_ Jack. Without your brilliant leadership-"

"Oh not at all, Mayor" Jack cut in before the vampires added their own opinion.

"You're such a scream Jack!"

"You're a witch's fondest dream!"

"You made walls fall Jack!" The witches said. Holly pouted as the females fawned over _her_ Jack. Ok, so he wasn't really hers, but still! Holly gave a forced chuckled and pulled the witches away.

"Yes, well, that's just our Jack. The great and amazing pumpkin king!" She said, trying to keep the women away. But, apparently, that was the wrong thing to say as a crowd of ghouls easily slipped by her and began stalking up to Jack with loads of compliments. He nervously continued to back away from them as Holly gave a small growl at the females.

Thankfully, however, the mayor stopped the group with the announcement of prizes, allowing Jack to quickly slip away. Holly glanced back at Sally, only to see her being pulled away from the square by Dr. Finklestein. The ragdoll was pouting the entire way, but waved Holly off when the Christmas woman started to walk over to help. Holly, reluctantly, left her alone, and went off to find Jack.

However, after a little more searching, she gave up and began to head towards the graveyard, which was in front of the woods that led to the holiday trees. She gave a pat to Zero, the resident ghost dog with a glowing red nose that reminded her of Rudolph, as she made her way by. He all but belonged to Jack, just as the resident black cat all but belonged to her. Jack took care of Zero constantly and always used his own bones to play fetch with the playful pup.

Holly sighed as she glanced back at the town, before entering the woods, figuring she'd visit the next day to see if Jack was feeling better.


	3. Chapter 3

**Me: So turns out the trip home took more out of me than I first thought and I fell asleep before I could update again. I'm really sorry! I can't thank you enough for being so patient with me. This chapter is longer, as I had wanted them to originally be but never got around to making it so. Enjoy and Review!**

Jack slowly made his way to the graveyard as he contemplated his life. Every year was the same, and, honestly, he was rather restless. Just like his ragdoll friend, Sally. Holly seemed completely perfect with her own life. Then again, she was always perfect. Nothing like the creepy creatures that lurked about the town. He was going to try and find her like every Halloween, but he lost her in the crowd and didn't want to risk being mobbed again.

He patted his leg, beckoning his ghost dog Zero to come out of his dog house-grave. Jack sighed and leaned against one of the statues, " _There are few who'd deny at what I do I am the best. For my talents are renowned far and wide. When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night, I excel without ever even trying._ "

He leaped up onto a gravestone and balanced on one leg, hopping onto another every few moments, " _With the slightest little effort, of my ghostlike charms, I have seen grown men give out a shriek._ " Jack jumped down between two statues, " _With a wave of my hand, and a well-placed moan, I have swept the very bravest off their feet._ " If Holly was there, she would've teased him about being conceited and self-absorbed. But it was always in good fun.

" _Yet year after year, it's the same routine and I grow so weary of the sound of screams. And I, Jack, the pumpkin king, have grown so tired of the same old thing._ " The skeleton slowly made his way up the swirled hill that had a mind of it's own, " _Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones, an emptiness began to grow. There somewhere out there far from my home, a longing that I've never known._ "

" _I'm the master of fright and a demon of light, and I'll scare you right out of your pants. To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mr. Unlucky, and I'm known throughout England and France. And since I am dead, I can take off my head to recite Shakespearean quotations,_ " Holly always did laugh and enjoy it when he quoted Shakespeare to himself, " _No animal nor man can scream like I can with the fury of my recitations. But who here would ever understand that the pumpkin king with his skeleton grin would tire of his crown. If they only understood he'd give it all up if he only could._ "

Maybe Holly would know how he felt, or at least try to understand. She always listened when he needed to get something off his chest and even when he tried to brush her off, she never gave up in trying to get him to talk about them. But this was one of the few things he would never discuss with her. Not because he didn't trust her with his problems, but because he feared how she'd react. She was one of the few things he never wanted to risk losing. HIs best friend.

" _Oh, there's an empty place in my bones, that calls out for something unknown. The fame and praise come year after year. Does nothing for these empty tears…_ "

Sally came out of her hiding spot as the skeleton made his way into the woods beyond with his loyal ghost dog. The ragdoll had gotten away from her creator by undoing her own arm, and ran towards the graveyard to collect more Deadly Nightshade for later. She sighed and shook her head at Jack's obliviousness.

Not only did she understand how he felt, so did Holly. Only the white-haired woman knew what she was missing and Jack just, didn't. Sally was missing the excitement that Holly always seemed to have, and her friends were missing someone to share their lives with. Except Jack didn't know that the empty feeling was loneliness. Holly knew that, and she knew it was Jack she wanted to fill that emptiness, but the skeleton can be rather dense.

The two were perfect for one another, and neither understood that. Holly knew her feelings for the pumpkin king, but she didn't seem to believe he felt the same. Sally understood considering how many other females there were that seemed to have crushed on the skeleton. Even the ragdoll herself used to have a crush on him. But that disappeared a long time ago when she saw the chemistry between her two friends.

Sally made a decision that night, and she decided that, no matter what, she'd find a way to make the two get together as a couple.

 _~Skippy!~_

The next morning, Jack yawned as he walked through the forest with Zero. He dozed off but continued to walk and think throughout the night in his light rest. "Where are we?" Jack blinked the sleep out of his, eye sockets, and glanced around, "It's someplace new!" He entered the circle of thick trees and took notice of the strange markings. "What is this?" Each was unique in their own way and had something placed at the bottom of each trunk, which he figured had something to do with the markings. However, one particular tree caught his attention.

The marking was that of a decorated tree. The decorations were bright and colorful, nothing like HalloweenTown. They glittered and flashed in the sunlight as Jack slowly made his way to the tree, drawn by the mark that somehow reminded him of Holly. As he drew closer, he noticed there was a doorknob on the mark, making him realize that the markings were truly doors. Unable to resist, he grabbed the knob and turned, opening it up. He leaned inside and frowned, seeing nothing in the darkness of the tree. Jack turned to Zero and shrugged, before noting that small white fluffs were circling him in small brushes of wind, dragging him into the tree. He shouted in surprise as he tumbled back.

Soon, though, he landed on something soft. Jack blinked and looked around before spotting a brightly and colorfully lit town at the bottom of the hill he was on. He leaned forward to get a better look, only to slip down into whatever the soft white stuff was. He scooped up a handful and examined it happily, before taking a bite of it. It tasted like water, only it was colder and was a soft solid! What was this amazing creation?!

Jack looked towards the new town once more and grinned with excitement as some sort of thing moved out of the hole in the mountain side. He turned his head to see tiny people gliding around a decorated tree that resembled the door that took him here. The skeleton leaned forward some more, only to tumble and slide down the hill, landing in a large pile of the white stuff.

He popped his head out and glanced around, " _What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere. What's this? There's white things in the air,_ " Jack caught one of the floating white flakes and examined it as he walked forward, only for the flake to burst when it touched a carrot that was sticking out of a weird looking creature that seemed to be made out of the white stuff. " _What's this? I can't believe my eyes. I must be dreaming wake up, Jack. This isn't fair! What's this?_ "

The skeleton took the hat and carrot and, deciding to have some fun, took off the head and arms and replaced them with his own body as some of the small people made their way past on a flat, wheelless carriage, " _What's this? What's this? There's something very wrong. What's this? There's people singing songs._ " Another group of small people rode by on a large white creature that looked like some sort of animal, " _What's this? The streets are lined with little creatures laughing. Everybody seems so happy. Have I possibly gone daffy? What is this? What's this?_ " Jack leapt out of his costume, just in time to avoid being caught by the little beings, not that he cared.

He landed on top of a light post and observed the creatures playing, " _There's children throwing snowballs, instead of throwing heads. They're busy building toys and absolutely no one's dead! There's frost in every window._ " Jack used the umbrella he took to bring down the colorful lights hanging around, " _Oh, I can't believe my eyes_ " The skeleton slowly began to sit down, all of the excitement getting to him, " _And in my bones I feel the warmth that's coming from inside._ " And then his attention was once again drawn by something in a small home.

" _Oh, look, what's this? They're hanging mistletoe. They kiss? Why that looks so unique!_ " Truly, Jack couldn't help but think of how Holly would react if they were caught under mistletoe and follow these weird, but amazing, traditions this new town had, " _Inspired! They're gathering around to hear a story, roasting chestnuts on a fire. What's this?_ "

Jack peeked through a window and wiped away the frost to see more clearly, " _What's this in here? They've got a little tree. How queer and who would ever think? And, why, they're covering it with tiny, little things. They've got electric lights with strings. And there's a smile on everyone, so now correct me if I'm wrong._ " Jack climbed up onto the roof and began to slide down, " _This looks like fun, this looks like fun! Oh could it be I got my wish? What's this?_ "

He leaned down to see a room filled with sleeping children. Unable to resist, he opened the window and crept inside, all the while thinking of what Holly would say if she knew. She'd probably laugh and call him a stalker. " _Oh, my, what now? The children are asleep, but look, there's nothing underneath. No ghouls, no witches here to scream and scare them or ensnare them, only little cozy things secure inside their dreamland._ " Jack sighed and knelt beside one of the children, softly patting their head to not disturb their sleep. Until he once again was distracted and exclaimed, " _What's this?_ " And disappeared right before the child woke and looked around in surprise.

Jack climbed up the side of the building and looked at the shadows of the tinted windows, " _The monsters are all missing and the nightmares can't be found and in their place, there seems to be good feeling all around. Instead of screams, I swear I can hear music in the air._ " Jack used the umbrella to slide down a stream of lights to an opened window where pastries were cooling down, " _The smell of cakes and pies are absolutely everywhere._ "

Jack let go the umbrella and landed on a moving carousel, " _The sights, the sounds, they're everywhere and all around. I've never felt so good before._ " Jack jumped onto the moving train, " _This empty place inside of me is filling up, I simply cannot get enough. I want it, oh I want it, oh I want it for my own._ " The skeleton leapt off before the train went into the mountainside, sliding down the white stuff on a board, " _I've got to know, I've got to know, what is this place that I have found. What is this?!_ " And then Jack collided with a pole and fell back, collapsing in the white stuff. He shook his head and spotted the sign above, "Christmas Town? Hmm…"

Then a horn blew, drawing Jack's attention, as a large door opened and a shadow appeared with a deep laugh, "Ho ho ho!"

Jack hid behind the lamppost and suddenly gained a devious and selfish idea. However, he was brought out of his thoughts by a woman who resembled his dearest friend skipping into the square, forcing the skeleton to quickly hiding behind a building.

"Oh Holly~!" The woman sang, making her way to a building across from Jack's hiding spot and knocking onto the door, "Holly-Holly-Holly!"

The door opened with a slam and Jack couldn't help by let out a small gasp of surprise at the sight of his friend exiting the building, decked out in white furs and bright colors, "What?!"

"Father wants you~!" The woman giggled at Holly's annoyed face, "Oh don't be such a sour puss! It doesn't suit an heiress of Christmas!"

Holly just rolled her eyes and stalked past the woman, towards the laughing shadow, "I'm coming daddy!"

Jack rubbed his chin in thought as his friend disappeared from his view. Perhaps she'd be willing to help him. She knew more about this place than he did after all. Oh well. He'll worry about that later. Right now, he had some investigating to do!


	4. Chapter 4

**Me: I had decided to update again today to make up for the forgotten promise last night. So, I hope you guys Enjoy and Review!**

Holly sighed as she walked towards Halloween Town Hall. Jack had apparently called for a very important meeting about something, and demanded that everyone be there. It took practically the whole day for Holly to get away from Christmas Town. Her father had called her because of some problem they were having. Some of the elves were freaking out because they thought they saw something moving around town creepily. It didn't help that a lot of things went missing, like one of the elves' snowmobiles and a christmas tree.

Holly shrugged it off as the elves just misplacing them and just seeing things, but her family believed otherwise and were a bit on edge now.

The white-haired woman entered the hall and went over to Sally, who, once again, poisoned Dr. Finklestein to escape. The two climb up onto Hangman's Tree, who didn't mind his new occupants, as Jack entered the room.

"Settle down everyone! I want to tell you about, Christmas Town!"

And, immediately, Holly frowned, wide-eyed, "Oh dear…."

The mayor shined a spotlight onto the pumpkin king, who began his story, " _There were objects so peculiar, they were not to be believed. All around, things to tantalize my brain. It's a world unlike anything I've ever seen, and as hard as I try, I can't seem to describe like a most improbable dream._ " Jack began to walk away from the podium, towards a rope that controlled the curtains, " _But you must believe when I tell you this, it's as real as my skull and it_ _ **does**_ _exist. Here, let me show you!_ "

The skeleton pulled the rope to reveal a little set-up he made with everything he 'borrowed' from Christmas Town. The entire room let out a gasp of amazement, even Sally. The only one who didn't was, of course, Holly, who had realized that Jack was the one the elves saw, and she worried what might've gotten into that thick skull of his. For all she knew, he was planning something that would ruin everything!

Jack help up a wrapped box, " _This is a thing called a present. The whole thing starts with a box._ "

"A box? Is it steel?" The devil asked.

"Are there locks?" The werewolf asked.

"Is it filled with the pox?" The harlequin inquired eagerly.

"A pox? How delightful a pox!" The devil remarked happily.

"If you please," Jack cut in, wishing to continue his presentation, " _Just a box with bright colored paper, and the whole thing's topped with a bow._ "

But then the witches flew up for a closer look, "A bow?"

"But why?"

"How ugly!"

"What's in it?"

" _That's the point of the thing, not to know!_ " Jack tried to explain, but the tear-away face clown used a claw to take the present.

"It's a bat!" He guessed.

"Will it bend?" The snake-fingered monster asked.

"It's a rat!" The clown guessed again.

"Will it break?"

"Perhaps it's the head that I found in the lake" The fish woman commented.

Jack, starting to get annoyed with them for cutting him off constantly, took back the present, " _Listen, now, you don't understand. That's not the point of Christmas Land. Now pay attention,_ " He moved to the other side of the stage and presented a red stocking, " _We pick up an oversized sock, and hang it like this on the wall._ "

Then Mr. Hyde came up, "Oh yes, Does it still have a foot?" Medium Hyde came out of his hat, "Let me see, let me look!" And then, Small Hyde popped out of MH's hat, "Is it rotted and covered in gook?"

"Uh, let me explain" Jack said, starting once more, " _There's no foot inside, but there's candy, or sometimes it's filled with small toys!_ "

The two children in the back began talking, "Small toys? Do they bite?"

"Do they slap?"

"Or explode in a sack?"

"Or perhaps they just spring out and scare girls and boys!" The corpse child exclaimed from his father's shoulders.

" _What a splendid idea! This Christmas sounds fun! I fully endorse it! Let's try it at once!_ " The mayor proclaimed, stumbling a bit from the platform above, hitting the spotlight, making it swing back and forth.

"Everyone, please, now not so fast!" Jack begged, " _There's something here that you don't quite grasp!_ " But the crowd just continued to talk over him. This wasn't going as he had hoped.

Holly shook her head, unable but to feel pity for her friend and secret love. Sure he snuck around her home and stole some things, and was probably planning some sort of devious idea, but nobody here was understanding what he was trying to show them! They don't seem to get what Christmas is really about! Not even Jack! He seemed to think it was all about the presents and things you got, but that's not it at all!

Jack groaned quietly to himself, "Might as well give them what they want." At least Holly understands, seeing that she lives in Christmas Town. He made a note to himself to talk to her about helping him, " _And the best, I must confess, I have saved for the last, for the ruler of this Christmas Land, is a fearsome king with a deep mighty voice! Least, that's what I've come to understand. And I've also heard it told, that he's something to behold, like a lobster huge and red! When he sets out to slay with his rain gear on, carting bulging sacks, with his big, great arms. That is, so I've heard it said. And on a dark cold night, under full moonlight, he flies into a fog like a vulture in the sky! And they call him, Sandy Claws._ "

Holly started to frown as Jack began to make out her father as some type of monster. Where exactly was he going with this? How in the Holiday Towns did he come up with this idea of her papa?

The crowd, however, was cheering loudly as the curtains began to close, and Jack sighed, walking off stage, " _Well at least they're excited, but they don't understand, that special kind of feeling in Christmas land. Oh well._ "

Holly hopped down from Hangman's Tree, and looked up at her ragdoll friend, "I'm going to find Jack. See you later." 

"Bye" Sally waved, with a hidden twinkle in her eye. She couldn't wait till the two finally got together! She could just imagine what their children would look like! Wait….Jack's a skeleton….Oh well. They're still a cute couple!

 _~Skippy!~_

Holly made her way up Jack's mansion, all the while cursing whoever built the place with so many stairs. She rang the creepy doorbell and waited a moment, before bursting into the home, "I'm home~!" It was an inside joke between them. You know what they say. Friends knock on the door and wait, while best friends barge into your house exclaiming they're back.

"Ah Holly! Just the girl I wished to see!" Jack said happily, not moving his eyes away from the book he was reading. She glanced around his main hall, eyeing all the garland and ornaments he hung around. She was happy he liked the holiday, but this seemed to be a bit much. It's two months til Christmas after all and he's already decked out the entire interior of his home...

"Uh-huh" She muttered mindlessly, fingering some of her namesake.

"How come you never told me about this wonderful holiday of yours?" He instantly inquired, moving about his home, "I wish I had found out about it sooner! Everything is so amazing!"

"Uh, yeah. Well, I just didn't know how you were going to take it. But I'm glad you like it" the white-haired girl replied, a bit hesitantly as Jack began to look through another book.

"What's there _not_ to like? Tell me, is there a better way for me to explain Christmas to the town?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh, uh, well, I don't know exactly how. I usually just paint toys while my father and sister take care of the holiday. But, Christmas is about so much more than just presents and decorations. It's about being with your loved ones and the presents show the selflessness you feel when you think of them and-" 

"Ah-ha!" Jack exclaimed, not really having listened to what she said as he held up another book, only it wasn't about Christmas. It was about the scientific method. "Sorry Holly, but I must go see Dr. Finklestein about this. I'll talk to you later!"

"But Jack!" However, he was already out the door and out of hearing. She sighed and, dejectedly, began to head back to Christmas Town, hoping that her friend didn't take his liking of Christmas too far.


	5. Chapter 5

**Me: Hey guys! Guess who's back with another chapter? Me! So please, Enjoy and Review!**

Holly sighed, for about the millionth time that week. Jack seemed to have become obsessed with Christmas. He always stayed up in his tower conducting experiments. And Holly had become a bit lonely. Sally was missing, and she didn't doubt it had something to do with Dr. Finkelstein, so she really only had the children. And even then, the trio always went off to play tricks on unsuspecting creatures.

Today, the white-haired woman decided to check on Jack and was currently making her way up his tower. She gave Zero a small pat as she entered the room. Jack was trying to make a paper snowflake, but it always came out as a spider. She shook her head and took the folded paper with a small smile, before quickly and easily cutting it up into a snowflake.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Jack pleaded, with a pout he usually had when he didn't get what he wanted.

Holly rolled her eyes, but nodded anyway. She handed him some scissors and slowly began to show him how to do it. However, he soon became bored when he continually failed and moved on to something else. Holly gave out a small inaudible groan and collapsed beside the bored Zero. Jack never had time to play with him anymore!

The two blankly watched Jack move about the room, examining and experimenting on the many Christmas items. It was late out when he grabbed a glass ornament and crushed it into the boiling beaker. The water began to change into sparkling green and blues, much to Jack's confusion, "Interesting reaction, but what does it mean?!"

Holly shook her head and slowly left the room, not that Jack noticed.

 _~Skippy!~_

Sally eventually escaped her little prison cell with two baskets of food. She figured Jack'd forget to eat and that Holly would be too upset with him ignoring her to remind him. However, as she reached the gate of his mansion, she spotted her white-haired friend passed out against the wall.

Worried, the ragdoll slowly shook Holly's shoulder, and, thankfully, the woman began to blink her eyes open, "Sally?"

"Oh good. For a moment, I feared you were hurt, or worse" She sighed.

"Where have you been?"

"Finkelstein locked me up for poisoning him again" Sally sighed.

Holly bit her lip, "Want me to go talk some sense into him?"

Sally giggled, "Knowing you, you'd hit him." 

"Yep. Maybe it'll _knock_ some sense into him. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

Sally held up the basket, "I thought that maybe Jack would like something to eat. With his little obsession, I doubt he's been doing so, and I doubt you've reminded him."

Holly blushed a bit, right before her own stomach growled. Sally raised a disappointed eyebrow at her, making the woman give a nervous chuckle. The ragdoll sighed and held out the other basket, "You're lucky I thought ahead." Holly gave her friend a sheepish grin and took the basket, grateful for the food and happy Sally thought to use food she could eat. The things the Halloween Town spirits usually ate made her sick to even think about.

Holly began to eat as Sally made her way towards Jack's tower, using a pulley-system to raise the basket up there. Once Jack had received the basket, she made her way back to Holly, who had finished her food and was feeling better with something in her stomach.

The ragdoll sat beside the Christmas woman and picked up a flower, playing with it's leaves. However, the flower turned into a tree in her eyes, a christmas tree decorated with ornaments and a star on top. Sally smiled at the sight, but gasped when the tree burst into fire, destroyed everything except for the charred trunk.

"Sally?" The ragdoll jumped in surprise and turned to Holly, who was looking at her questionably. Sally looked back at the tree, only to see it was once again a flower. "What's wrong?"

"Christmas is in danger…."

 _~Skippy!~_

Sally and Holly had both fallen asleep outside Jack's gate, but woke up to the town muttering about their skeleton friend's obsession.

" _Something's up with Jack. Something's up with Jack. Don't know if we're ever going to get him back_ " The vampires sang, before rushing off into the shadows as the sun began to rise.

" _He's all alone up there, locked away inside_ " The werewolf remarked.

" _Never says a word_ " The corpse mother comments.

" _Hope he hasn't died!_ " Her child adds following his mother on his leash.

"Died?" Holly whimpered, before Sally rubbed her shoulder in comfort.

" _Something's up with Jack. Something's up with Jack._ "

Holly leaned over to the gate and looked up at the tower to see her secret love pacing around.

" _Christmastime is buzzing in my skull. Will it let me be? I cannot tell. There's so many things I cannot grasp._ " Jack walked over to his card tower, built with christmas cards, placing the last two on top, " _When I think I've got it and then at last, through my boney fingers it does slip._ " And then his card castle collapses. He huffed and slide the cards away in annoyance, " _Like a snowflake in a firey grip._ "

" _Something here I'm not quite getting, though I try, I keep forgetting, like a memory long since passed. Here in an instant, gone in a flash. What does it mean? What does it mean?_ " Jack moved to the toys he placed in water-filled bowls, " _In these little bric-a-brac, a secret's waiting to be cracked. These dolls and toys confuse me so. Confound it all, I love it, though!_ " In fact, they remind him of Holly. She was his best friend, but there were some things he could never figure out about her. Like how she could be so bipolar. One minute, she'd love spending time with the three pranksters, and the next, she'd hate their very being and retaliate with a trick that was ten times worse than they could ever think of.

" _Simple objects, nothing more, but something's hidden through a door. Though I do not have the key. Something's here I cannot see. What does it mean? What does it mean?!_ " Jack shook the little doll in his hand, before throwing it carelessly over his shoulder. The doll landed in Zero's bed, waking him up. " _What does it mean?_ "

The skeleton grabbed a book from his pile and began to flip through the pages, " _I've read this book so many times. I know the stories and I know the rhymes. I know the Christmas Carols all by heart. My skull's so full it's tearing me apart! As often as I read them, something's wrong. So hard to put my boney finger on._ "

Zero floated over to Jack, carrying an portrait of him as the pumpkin king, hoping it would bring some sense to the skeleton. " _Or perhaps it's really not as deep as I've been lead to think. Am I trying much to hard? Of course! I've been too close to see the answer's right in front of me!_ " Jack began to imagine the portrait of him in a santa suit, holding a present instead of a pumpkin.

" _Right in front of me. It's simple, really, very clear. Like music drifting in the air! Invisible, but everywhere! Just because I cannot see it. Doesn't mean I can't believe it. You know, I think this Christmas thing is not as tricky as it seems. And why should they have all the fun! It should belong to anyone. Not anyone in fact but me! Why, I could make a Christmas Tree!_ " Jack stripped the tree of it's lights and slid over to the electric chair, wrapping the lights around it, in a poor attempt of his own Christmas tree, " _And there's no reason I can find I couldn't handle Christmastime! I bet I could improve it too! And that's exactly what I'll do!_ "

Jack let out a maniacal laugh before opening the windows of his tower, "Eureka! This year, Christmas will be ours!"

The creatures of Halloween Town began to cheer at the prospect, while Sally looks fearful and Holly just looked sad. She was worried about both the holiday and her Jack. She just knew something bad was going to happen. Especially after Sally's vision.

 _~Skippy!~_

Sally and Holly were both in line for the job listing Jack was giving out. Except they didn't want a job. They wanted to talk some sense into the skeleton. This was wrong and they both knew it. Though Sally had eventually ran off to hide from her creator when he was called to the hall.

Holly, deciding enough was enough, got out of line and made her way towards the hall, ignoring the annoyed remarks of the other creatures who wanted to get their jobs as quickly as possible.

She entered the hall just after the trio of children ran in. The mayor, however, was fearful of the three, since they hung out with Oogie Boogie all the time.

"Jack sent for us by name!" Lock answered, taking off his mask.

"But they're Oogie's Boys!" Mayor tried to hushedly whisper. But failed.

"Shock is a girl" Holly remarked, moving past them to the pile of Christmas items.

"Yeah!" said witch huffed, but was otherwise ignored.

"Ah, Halloween's finest trick-or-treaters!" Jack said happily, kneeling down to their level, "The job I have for you is top secret!" He peeked back at Holly, who was examining the pile and thankfully not looking towards them. He didn't know how she'd react to them bringing her father here, and he didn't want to risk her being upset. "It requires craft, cunning, mischief-"

"And we thought you didn't like us Jack!" Shock giggled. The trio began to laugh as Jack began to continue.

"Absolutely no one is to know about it. Not a soul!" Jack commanded with a stern glare. "Now," Jack drew the three closer and began to whisper quietly to them. The mayor tried to eavesdrop, but his 'enter item' was blocked. Jack finished and the three began to leave, but he dragged them back, "And one more thing. Leave that no-account Oogie Boogie out of this!"

"Whatever you say Jack!"

"Of course Jack!"

"Wouldn't dream of it Jack!"

The trio laughed, hiding their crossed fingers behind their backs. Holly gave them a raised eyebrow, making the three eep and rush out. Jack may be the most frightening being in Halloween Town, but he didn't scare the trio. Holly, on the other hand, she was better at tricks than they were. Last time they made her upset, she somehow got them hanging upside down over the fountain covered in flashing lights. Friend or not, she was very scary when she wanted to be.

Holly waited for Jack to be finished with the musicians to talk to him. He was trying to teach them Jingle Bells, but they played it in a more melodramatic tone. "Fantastic! Now why don't you all practice on that and we'll be in great shape!" The musicians left and Jack finally turned to Holly.

"Ah Holly! I need your help more than anyones! Who else would be the best with this Holiday than you? Nobody!"

"Jack, Sally had a vision. About your Christmas. There was smoke and fire and-"

But Jack just laughed and waved her off, "That's not 'my' Christmas! My Christmas is filled with laughter and joy! And this!" Jack brought out a picture of him, as the pumpkin king, before flipping another page over it to reveal him in a santa suit. "My Sandy Claws outfit. I want you to make it!"

"Jack, please. It's going to be a disaster!"

"How could it be? Just follow the pattern" Jack said, believing she was talking about her making the costume. 

"It's a mistake!"

"Don't be modest. Who else would be better at making my Sandy Claws outfit than the daughter of Sandy Claws himself!"

"I'm not talking about the costume! I'm talking about this whole thing! You can't just take someone else's holiday!" Holly exclaimed as Jack went back to the pile.

"I'm not 'taking' it from anyone. I'm just giving your father a little, vacation. Surely you wouldn't want you father to be working so hard day in and out. Now then, I have every bit of confidence in you. Run along and get started" The skeleton urged, gently pushing Holly out the door as the Mayor called out for the next ghoul.

"But I just know this isn't going to end well" Holly muttered as she walking away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Me: Hey guys. So I'm having a bit of trouble with my family. My little sister by four years and I butt heads...constantly. And, she's got it in her head that I, along with everyone in the family, hates her and now has suicidal thoughts. I mean, she can be very dramatic, but this isn't a topic to joke about. So, yeah. A bit downed today while trying to think of ways to make her see reason. I don't hate her. We just have issues with life and take them out on one another. I know it's not the best, or right, thing to do, but that's just how we are. So far, I'm watching my mouth and tone and how I react towards her, and, hopefully, me and my family (and her counselor (which she had before she even gained suicidal thoughts because she has other problems)) will be able to help her before she does anything rash. Anyway, please Enjoy and Review!**

The next couple weeks flew by as Holly grew more and more worried each day. Whenever she went home, she tried to buck up the courage to tell her father everything and warn him, but always lost her nerve when she thought of how disappointed Jack would be. She loved him and she wanted him to be happy, but at the same time, she didn't want him to wreck Christmas. She usually complained to Rudolph, who listened to each word, and sometimes offered words of advice. He would've told the others, but she made him swear on the Christmas Star he would never tell anyone. And you can't ever break a Christmas Star Swear!

Next thing she knew, there was only one day till Christmas and she was making the finishing touches on her love's costume. He was happily examining himself in the mirror as she sewed on the white trim. "You don't look like yourself Jack. Not at all."

"Isn't that wonderful? It couldn't be more wonderful!"

"But you're the pumpkin king!" She argued, holding up a picture of them on Halloween, him dressed as his kingly self and her wearing a spider witch costume that she borrowed from the others. It was their first Halloween together.

"Not anymore" He brushed her off, snapping the picture in two. "I feel so much better now!" Holly whimpered a bit as she looked at the broken pieces. That was a precious picture to her and he broke it like it was nothing! How could he?! She thought he was her friend if nothing else! But, if this is the way he felt...

Holly let out a sad sigh and continued her work, figuring it would be best if she finished and just left. For good. There was no point in staying if all Jack cared about anymore was Christmas. "Jack, I know you think something's missing, but-" In her distraction, she accidentally poked his finger with a needle. "Sorry." 

"You're right! Something 'is' missing" Jack remarked, looking in the mirror, "But what? I've got the beard, the coat, the boots-" But he was cut off by the trickster trio calling out for him. Holly sighed and left the room to get the hat he was missing, but that wasn't what she meant.

After she found the hat, she re-entered the hall, only to see Jack already wearing a santa hat and was practicing his laugh. She sighed and dropped the hat onto the floor, ready to go home and try to forget everything, "I left Christmas Town to get away from all this, not to bring it here. I might as well just go home and stay there…"

 _~Skippy!~_

Sally, however, was busy gathering fog juice. She was there when the trickster trio brought in Sandy Claws. This has gone way too far. This was her last resort. She had thought maybe Holly of all people could stop him, but Jack was too enraptured in his Christmas to care.

Sally rushed to the town square where she spotted Holly walking past dejectedly. "Holly!" 

The white-haired woman looked at the ragdoll blankly, "Hi Sally."

"W...what's wrong? Where are you going?" 

"Home" She replied simply.

"But...why? We have to stop Jack!" Sally argued.

"What's the point? He won't listen to anything I have to say. All he cares about is his stupid Christmas. I hate Christmas. Stupid holiday is always ruining my life" Holly huffed weakly.

"But Holly-" 

"I'll probably visit every once and awhile, but don't expect me to stay here any longer." 

"Holly wait!" Sally exclaimed, grabbing her arm, "Look, I understand your upset, but please don't do anything rash. Jack will learn soon. I have one last way to stop him! Just, just stay for tonight! Please!" Holly sighed and nodded her head, unable to resist her friend's pleading. Sally smiled happily, "Come on. We have to hurry."

 _~Skippy!~_

Sally and Holly hide behind the crowd and pour the bottles of fog juice into the fountain, the effects happening immediately. The crowd began to cheer as Jack climbed out of his coffin sleigh, both woman standing up and clapping along to avoid suspicion.

The mayor climbed up and began to read the long speech he wrote as the fog drifted out of the fountain and every place the fountain connected to, "Think of us as soar triumphantly through the sky, outshining every star. Your silhouette a dark blot on the moon. You, who are our pride. You, who are our glory. You, who have frightened billions into an early grave. You, who have….devastated the souls of the living…." 

The fog became thicker and thicker as the seconds ticked by, Jack's disappointed growing, "Oh no! We can't take off in this! The reindeer can't see an inch in front of their noses!" Both Holly and Sally sighed in relief as the other creatures complained.

"This fog is as thick as, as-"

"Jellied brains!"

"Thicker!"

Jack sat in the coffin dejectedly, making Holly start to feel guilty, "There goes all of my hopes, my precious plans, my glorious dreams."

"There goes Christmas" the corpse child cries. Holly whimpered with guilt at everyone's sad faces. Sally, however, was only a tiny bit guilty, but sucked it up as she remembered her vision It had to be like this. Or else all would be lost. Zero floated over to his master and barked.

"No, Zero. Down boy" the skeleton sighed, before blinked at Zero's glowing nose, "My, what a brilliant nose you have! The better to light my way!"

"Wait a wrapped elf, this sounds familiar" Holly muttered to herself.

"To the head of the team Zero!" 

"Oh, son of an abominable snowman!" Holly stomped her foot as the crowd cheered louder while Zero floated in front of the sleigh. She began to push her way through the crowd, hoping that Jack would listen this one time, "Wait, Jack, stop!" 

Jack laughed a 'ho ho ho' as he disappeared into the night sky. The crowd began to disperse, Sally sighing and going off to the graveyard to think, leaving only Holly there as she stared up into the sky sadly.

"Goodbye Jack...My dearest Jack. I just hope Sally's vision is wrong." Holly sighed, beginning to make her way to the holiday doors. " _I sense there's something in the wind. That feels like tragedy's at hand. And though I'd like to stand by him, can't shake this feeling that I have. The worst is just around the bend, and does he notice my feelings for him? And will he see, how much he means to me? I think it's not to be._ "

Holly easily slips between the gate and spots her black cat up on the brick wall. He meows and jumps down into her arms, " _What will become of my dear friend? Where will his actions then? And though I'd like to join the crowd, in their enthusiastic cloud. Try as I may it doesn't last. And will we ever end up together?_ "

Why would he love her like she does him? He obviously doesn't care enough for her, proven by his previous actions. Never listening to her and brushing her off. He'd be much better suited with one of the other women in Halloween Town. She didn't even belong here. She belonged in Christmas Town. With her family. The people who actually do love her. Unlike Jack.

" _And will we ever, end up together? No I think not. It's never to become. For I am not, the one…._ "

Holly sat there, silently petting her cat, lost in thought. That is, until Sally ran over in a panic. The cat jumped out of Holly's arms and rushed off, frightened by the ragdoll's sudden appearance. "Sally?"

"We have to find Sandy Claws!"

"W-what?" 

"Jack had the trickster trio kidnap Sandy Claws and take him away so he wouldn't cut in with Jack's plans! But now Jack needs our help! The humans are trying to take him down! We have to rescue Sandy and get him to help!" 

"Oh Jack, what have you done?" Holly groaned, facepalming. She quickly got up and started to search for the three children. It didn't take long as they were pranking other creatures as always. "Where did you take Santa?"

"Who?" Barrel asked.

"Sandy Claws!"

"Oh~" Shock nodded in understanding, before giggling, "We're not telling~!"

"Oh really?" Holly raised an eyebrow. The three snickered. "You want to rethink that?" 

"Nope!" Lock laughed. Holly narrowed her eyes at the three.

 _~Skippy!~_

"We can't tell you!" Barrel cried as the three swung above the tar pit. Holly easily tied them up with some rope and hung them over a tree branch that was innocently sitting above the pit. Every time they refused to answer her, she lowered them some more.

"We promised Jack we wouldn't tell anyone!" Shock cried.

"Like that's ever stopped you before" Holly scoffed.

The trio exchanged a look.

 _~Skippy!~_

Sally and Holly quickly made their way to Oogie Boogie's lair after releasing the trio when they told them. Sally unsew her leg and it moved towards the entrance while the two made their way through the pipe. Holly helped her unsew her hands and they slide down the rope her father was hanging on. Sally's hands moved over Santa's mouth and pointed up, where the girls were.

"We'll get you out of here" Sally whispered as Holly threw down a rope. Oogie was busy with Sally's leg.

"Holly? What are you doing here?" Santa asked as he began to climb up.

"I'll explain later. Let's get out of here first." However, Oogie found out about Sally's leg and glared over at the three of them.

"You're trying to make a dupe out of me?!" 

"Well, we don't need to try something you've already succeeded at" Holly couldn't help herself. She probably should've kept her mouth shut though, as that made him angrier. Oogie began to suck in the air, making harsh wind blow around the three, who soon were blown down from their spot. Holly gave a nervous chuckle as they glanced up at the glaring Oogie. "Probably shouldn't have said that…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Me: Sup. So, currently have writers block for the epilogue of my SAO story, but I'm working on it. Anyway, please Enjoy and Review!**

Jack was unconscious, laying in a statue's arms, having been shot down by the humans. Zero whined as he brought back the skeleton's jaw that had been blown off. Once it was reattached, Jack had woken up, and sadly looked at the remained of his failed Christmas. Just as Holly warned him, smoke and fire. He should've listened to her! 

" _What have I done? What have I done? How could I be so blind? All is lost. Where was I? Spoiled all, spoiled all. Everything's gone all wrong. What have I done? What have I done? Find a deep cave to hide in. In a million years, they'll find me. Only dust and a plaque that reads, 'Here lies poor old Jack.'_ " Said skeleton collapses onto the statue in despair.

" _But I never intended all this madness. Never. And nobody really understood, well how could they? That all I ever wanted was to bring them something great. Why does nothing ever turn out like it should? Well, what the heck?!_ " Jack stood up on the statue, his spirits regained, " _I went and did my best! And, by Lord, I really tasted something swell! And for a moment, why, I even touched the sky!_ "

Jack jumped down and easily landed on the snow. " _And at least I left some stories they can tell. I did! And for the first time since I don't remember when, I felt just like my old bony self again. And I, Jack, the pumpkin king. That's right. I_ _ **am**_ _the pumpkin king!_ " Jack let out a loud laugh as he remembered the fun he always had scaring the humans, " _And I just can't wait till next Halloween cause I've got some new ideas that will really make them scream! And, by Lord, I've really got to give it all my might!_ "

But then Jack remembered the holiday that was currently going on, and how he ruined it, just like Holly said. "Uh-oh. I hope I've still got time, to set things right." Jack took the hat from Zero and opened the doorway to down below, hurrying inside to try and fix his mess.

 _~Skippy!~_

"Just you wait until Jack hears about this! By the time he's through with you, you'll be lucky if you-" Holly's rant was cut off by the mayor's voice on the loudspeaker.

"The king of Halloween has been blown to smithereens! Skeleton Jack is now a pile of dust!"

Holly and Sally let out gasps at the terrible news, the christmas heiress tearing up. Before shaking her head and glaring at the sack. She, for one, didn't believe Jack was dead. He couldn't be! He was the pumpkin king!

Meanwhile, said Skeleton was racing through the outlands of Halloween Town. It didn't take much to figure out where the trickster trio were going to hide Sandy Claws, even if he demanded they didn't. They never listened to him, or anyone for that matter. The only time they listened to Holly was when she threatened them. Oh Holly. Why didn't he listen to her in the first place? She was only looking out for him, and for the precious holiday of her family's.

Jack reached the entrance of Oogie Boogie's lair, which happened to be right underneath the trickster trio's home. Much to his horror, though, it was Holly's voice that echoed from below, "Why you lousy little-I swear when I get out of this, I'm gonna-" And the rest was not appropriate for younger audiences, while Sally and Sandy Claws voice yelled for help. Jack shushed Zero, who was whimpering at their friends' pleads, before slowly climbing down the rope.

"Looks like it's Oogie's turn to Boogie now!" the sack laughed, as he moved to a lever.

"That is one of the worst puns I've ever heard!" Holly shouted at the creature who began to pull the lever, slowly lifting the table they were laying on towards the acid below. 

"Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust. Oh I'm feeling weak...with hunger. One more roll of the dice ought to do it" Oogie laughed, not noticing Jack slink down and creep towards the three tied. Holly, however, did, and grinned at her secret love, who put a finger to his mouth to signal her to keep quiet. Oogie threw his dice down, only for it to come out as two ones, "What?! Snake eyes?!" He banged his fist against the table, making the dice turn, "11!" The sack began to laugh as he walked over to his prisoners, "Looks like I won the jackpot! Bye-bye Dollface, Ragdoll, and Sandman!"

Oogie pulled the lever some more and Sally screamed as the three fell. However, they were quickly caught by Jack, who had dragged Holly down first and, once she was safe, caught the other two with his free hands. Oogie, on the other hand, was curious as to why there was no splash and brought the table back up. Jack climbed up onto it and glared at the sack creature, much to his horror.

"Hello Oogie."

"J-J-Jack! But they said you were dead!" Oogie stuttered as Jack stood and stalked towards the creature. "You must be _double_ dead!" And with that, Oogie stomped onto a button on the floor, making the platform start to spin and metal cards popped up decorated like the king of spades, swords sticking out. Jack easily avoided the swords as Oogie taunted him, "Well come on Boneman!"

Oogie, noting that Jack was able to dodge the swords as he made his way towards the sack, pulled a lever that made the cards disappear and was replaced with metal gunmen. But the skeleton avoided them just as easily, simply dancing on the moving gun arms. Oogie began to panic as the platform spun him towards the awaiting pumpkin king. So he jumped and pressed one last button, unaware that a loose thread had gotten caught.

"Jack look out!" Holly warned from her hiding spot in the sarcophagus with the other two. Jack, seeing the razor heading his way, jumped off the arms and landed in front of Oogie, who let out a gasp. Oogie quickly jumped onto the overhanging claw, laughing.

"So long Jack!" Jack glared at the sack.

"How dare you treat my friends so shamefully?!" Jack grabbed the caught thread and pulled, ripping it off Oogie, reveal his arm of bugs, which began to drop out. The torn sack then got caught onto the spinning claw and ripped off Oogie, revealing his entire body full of bugs. Holly gagged in disgust, having to turn away from the sight.

"Now look what you've done!" Oogie cried, "My bugs, my bugs, my bugs," Oogie's body, with nothing to hold him together, began to come apart, all the bugs but one falling into the acid. The one that got away, however, was stomped on by a vengeful Santa.

Jack slowly came forward, shamefully, as Holly and Sally stayed back for the moment, "Forgive Mr. Claws. I'm afraid I've made a terrible mess of your holiday."

Santa huffed and grabbed his hat from Jack's hands, "Bumpy sleigh ride, Jack? The next time you get the urge to take-over someone else's holiday, I'd listen to her," Santa pointed towards Sally as Holly came out of the sarcophagus, "She's the only one who makes any sense in this insane asylum!"

"Dad" Holly warned, "He didn't mean it!" 

Santa just huffed and grumbled about stupid skeletons and their selfish ways.

Jack called out with worry, "I hope there's still time-"

"To fix Christmas?" Santa finished, "Of course there is! I'm Santa Claus! Now, come along Holly. We have a lot of work to do!"

Holly bit her lip and looked over at her Halloween friends. Sally gave her a pointed look and gestured to Jack from behind the skeleton, who looked rather saddened at the prospect of her leaving. "Well, actually, I was thinking of staying here." 

"What?" Santa sputtered, staring at his daughter wide-eyed.

"Yeah, well, I have friends here and, well, I've never really been one for Christmas anyway. That's more of Carol's thing, you know," Holly argued weakly, avoiding her father's gaze.

He humphed and narrowed his eyes at Jack, "You better make sure she doesn't get into any trouble!" 

"Daddy!" Holly whined, blushing in embarrassment as her father used his magic to escape from the lair. Holly played with a strand of her hair, glancing over at Jack, "Well, uh, he'll fix things. He knows what to do. It's his job after all."

"How did you get down here, Holly?"

"Well, you know, I had to save my father after you have the trickster trio kidnap him. And, well, I wanted to, to-" 

"To help me?"

"I couldn't just let you just-" Holly's face became more red as she stuttered through her explanation. Jack blinked at his best friend. It was obvious now that he was no longer blinded by his obsession with Christmas. Holly loved him.

And, he believed he felt the same. That feeling he was always missing, that he tried to fill with Christmas. He was lying. Christmas didn't really fill it. It just felt like it. Because Christmas reminded him of Holly.

Jack gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Holly, I can't believe I never realized that you-"

But then a spotlight cut them off with the mayor and trickster trio appeared above, "Jack, Jack!"

"No!" Sally cried, collapsing to her knees, "You ruined it! You wrecked it!"

Both Holly and Jack blushed as they remembered that they had company the entire time, having forgotten Sally as she kept quiet to, hopefully, watch the two finally get together. But there's goes _that_ plan! Curse the Mayor and the trio! CURSE THEM!

"Here he is" Barrel remark.

"Alive" Lock added.

"Just like we said" Shock nodded.

"Grab ahold my boy!" The mayor said throwing down a rope. Sally quickly climbed up, before Jack took the rope, holding Holly's hand as the group above pulled them up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Me: Sorry for the wait. I had forgotten I was going away for the weekend, and I had no time for updates. But I'm back. Now, my dear readers, this is where the Corpse Bride crossover comes in. However, this is a warning, due to my unstoppable imagination, it's more of an AU in accordance to Emily's side. You'll understand soon enough. But I hope you enjoy either way!**

Jack and Holly stood on the car as the mayor drove back to town. Sally had taken shotgun while the trickster trio sat on the roof. Holly gave them pats on the head and some candy for getting the mayor to help them.

The creatures of Halloween Town all woke up at the blaring of the horn and began to get excited at seeing their king alive and alright. " _Jack's ok. And he's back, ok! He's alright. Let's shout! Make a fuss, scream it out! Whee!_ "

Jack made his way up the stairs of the town hall, one of the children happily hugging his leg as he moved. Holly laughed as she hopped off the car, helping the trickster trio down. " _Jack is back now, everyone sing. In our town of Halloween._ " Jack picked up the children and placed him on the Mayor's hat.

"It's great to be home!" 

However, their attention is brought to above, where Santa was flying over as snow began to fall to the ground. "Happy Halloween!"

"Merry Christmas!" Jack called back happily as Holly jumped up and down, waving at her father and his reindeer.

" _What's this?_ " The corpse child asked, holding out a hand at the snow falling, the other creatures wondering the same.

" _What's this?_ "

" _I haven't got a clue_ " The harlequin said.

" _What's this?_ " Mr Hyde asked.

" _Why it's completely new!_ " The clown remarked.

" _What's this? Must be a Christmas thing!_ " The werewolf commented, covered in snow.

" _What's this?_ "

" _It's really very strange_ " The mayor said, sticking out his tongue and catching a snowflake, his scared face instantly turned back happy. The vampires began to play hockey on the frozen ice using a pumpkin. Some of the ghouls were make snow angels, while others began a snowball fight. Sally sat down in the snow, happily playing with the frozen flowers. The trickster trio threw snowballs at other ghouls, giggling when that hit Jack in the head. Sally soon joined them, decided it would be fun. She no longer needed to hide as Dr. Finklestein had created himself a wife.

Jack saw the doctor and his new wife, and looked at Sally, who seemed rather happy now. He moved his gaze around, trying to spot his own love, who made her way into the graveyard. Holly climbed up onto the swirled hill which was now covered in snow, and began to make pictures using a stick she found.

The skeleton followed her footprints and smiled up at the sight of her playing in the snow, " _My dearest friend, if you don't mind. I'd like to join you by your side. Where we can gaze into the stars,_ " Holly stood up and happily looked down at Jack, joining in his song, " _And sit together, now and forever. For it is plain, as anyone can see, we're simply meant to be._ "

Zero barked and floated over the two, who looked up at the ghost dog. Only to see him holding a very familiar plant above them. Holly blushed by smiled at her love, who instantly leaned down and kissed her.

 _~3 Years Later!~_

"And I don't want you brats anywhere near her, got that! Especially you two!" Jack shouted at the trickster trio, who were now ten years old. They snickered as they raced past him towards an amused Holly. Jack was trying to forbid them from ruining his new daughter's innocence, and was trying to make sure neither Barrel nor Lock got any ideas for the later future.

It confused a few creatures, and Holly's family, how they were able to conceive a child, seeing how Jack was a skeleton and Holly wasn't, but all they said was that Sally gave them a potion she 'borrowed' from Dr. Finklestein. In reality, Mrs. Finkelstein gave it to her so that they could spoil the new prince/princess in the future.

And spoil is exactly what they were going to do to the half Christmas/half Halloween spirit. Her skin was a light blue, with some parts rotting a bit but that wasn't of any concern, and so was her hair, only a darker shade. Her eyes were emerald, as her mother's, but parts of her body had no skin or muscle, just bone. Her right leg, her left arm, and her left ribs were visible bones. She looked more like a decomposing corpse, not that either parent cared. It made her look scary in the proper light, which was perfect for a spirit of Halloween.

"Oh hush Jack. They're the only children anywhere near her age. And they're ten years older than her. You don't want her to become like Sally, always poisoning you to get away for a while, do you?" 

"Of course not, Holly. But she can always play with the corpse child and the bat creature! They're the ones who are closer in age, not these demons!" Jack argued, glaring at the trio were were making faces at his little girl. But she was laughing the entire time.

"Who better to teach her the ways of trickery than the trickster trio themselves?" Holly shrugged, letting Shock hold her daughter. The witchling giggled as she held the baby, the two boys continuing the make faces.

"But-but"

Holly silenced him with a kiss, "Don't you have a meeting with Bonejangles in the Land of the Dead?"

"..."

"Go" Holly laughed, pushing her bony husband away, "Don't worry. Our little Emily will be just fine with those three educating her!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Me: Hey guys. I'm glad to see I didn't get any flames for the AU part. So, this is is more of AU Emily's backstory. I didn't change much of the original story, only some to fit this story. Hope you guys like it. Please tell me what you guys think so far!**

Emily snickered as she and Shock hide from Lock and Barrel. The two women had dumped pitch on top of them and ran off before they could retaliate. Emily had grown into a beautiful corpse in the past eighteen years. Her birthday was in a week and she'll officially be a young adult. According to Elder Gutknecht, she'll 'die' that day. Elder started spouting some scientifics which Emily couldn't understand at all, so she blocked most of it out. All she knows is that she's currently the 'living dead' until her she turns eighteen.

Her father hasn't grown any less protective, however. Her mother was the only reason she was even allowed to be _near_ the trio, who were her best friends, despite the age difference.

The trickster trio had grown into adults, but they haven't once stopped their tricks. And, everyone in Halloween Town had to admit things wouldn't be the same if they did. The trio always seemed to bring amusement to others when they weren't the targets of said tricks. What shocked most, however, was that Barrel and Shock had gotten together.

Shock had grown into a beautiful witch, much to her aunties' horror, but Shock just laughed at them, always one to cause mischief. Barrel, still obsessed with candy, specifically lollipops, had lost some weight from his baby fat. And Lock had grown into a handsome devil, and a ladykiller. He was a complete flirt, which only made Jack more protective when the red demon flirted with Emily, who was rather oblivious.

However, as Holly had predicted all those years ago, Emily had grown restless. Sure she spends time in Christmas Town and the Land of the Dead, which was never boring to be in, but, her father had never let her go upstairs! Not even on Halloween or Christmas! All the others got to go, so why not her?!

Emily sighed as she leaned against the brick wall she and Shock were hiding behind after the boys ran past, yelling at the two for dumping tar on them. "What is it?" 

"Nothing. Just, what's it like uptop?"

"Oh, it's absolutely dreadful!" Shock giggled, "It depends on which uptop we go to though!"

"Excuse me?" 

"Elder Gutknecht said there's two uptops! One connected to the Land of the Dead, and one connected to the holiday doors! It's pretty confusing. But we always go to the one connect to us, naturally! It positively frightening when we go up and everyone screams!" Shock burst into laughter, giving away their hiding spot. The two screech and rush away, with the boys chasing after them.

"Your eye popped out again!" Shock told her as they ran. That seemed to happen all the time. Her father was talking to Dr. Finklestein about fixing it.

"Dangnabbit!"

 _~Skippy!~_

Emily was sitting in the Ball and Socket Pub, drinking the wine Paul had given her, his beetles scurrying about as she mindlessly taps some keys on the piano. She always did love playing the piano. Her Aunt Carol taught her when she was younger and she was just drawn to the instrument. Bonejangles, noticing the poor spirits of his goddaughter, leaning next to her against the bar as his band took a break. "And what's gotten you all down in the bones, dollface?"

"Nothing really Bonejangles. It's just, well, Papa never lets me go up there. Not even on the holidays with him and Mother. I guess you could say I'm just restless." 

Bonejangles nodded in understanding, "Holly told me that your Aunt Sally felt the same when she was created by that doctor guy. Don't worry, your pops will understand soon. After all, not everyday is your birthday. Or deathday. Either one will work, considering this year you'll 'die'."

"I still don't get that, but ok."

"You don't need to get it, just know that it's what's gonna happen" Bonejangles shrugged.

"Not very good grammar there. In fact, I don't think that sentence made any sense" Emily snorted.

"What do I care? I'm dead!" he laughed. Emily shook her head with a fond smile.

Mrs. Plum, the dead cook, made her way over, huffing at Bonejangles' behavior and patting Emily's hand with an encouraging smile, "Don't worry dear. Why don't you ask Elder Gutknecht for advice? I do believe he wished to speak with you before about an early birthday present."

"Oh, alright. I'll see you all later then. Thanks for the drink Paul!"

"No problem mademoiselle!" The head replied as he flittered by on his beetles, taking orders.

 _~Skippy!~_

"Elder Gutknecht? Oh Elder Gutknecht! Mrs. Plum said you wanted to speak with me?" Emily called, making her way up the tower.

"W-what?" The old skeleton yawned, waking up from his daily nap.

"You wanted to see me?" 

"Oh. Oh! Yes. Come here dear" Elder Gutknecht beckoned her over, and she complied, "Now then. I've heard from some of the others that you wanted to see uptop, and I do believe your old enough to do so. So, I found a spell that will allow you to spend some time up there."

"But my father-" 

"You leave him to me, alright? Besides, it's only until your death day next week, then you'll be transported back below. Surely he can't object to you learning how to care for yourself above. And, either way, I've already gotten permission from your mother. So, do you wish to go up?" Emily grinned at the elderly skeleton who was all but her actual grandfather, and nodded excitedly. "Alrighty then. Now few things, the spell is a timed illusion spell. While you're up there, you'll look like a regular human, not a corpse. And the spell will give off the illusion of you being there with your human family, due to their customs. Our uptop is different from your own, so they do not act the same way, but I'm sure you won't mind that. Think of it as preparation for when you're allowed in the Holiday Lands' mortal realm." His raven soon laid a large egg and Elder Gutknecht picked it up, "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be!" Emily said eagerly.

"Then I shall see you once more at the end of the week. Good luck." And with that, he cracked the egg open and smoke poured out, engulfing the corpse woman.

 _~Skippy!~_

Emily blinked her eyes open and found herself in a large pink bedroom, laying on a fluffy comforter. She grinned and ran over to the vanity and admired herself. Sure it was odd seeing her body as such, but she had to admit she was still pretty. Not a beautiful as her mother though. Her hair was now brown and her skin was pale, but not deathly pale. And her body was whole, no longer having visible bones around.

She squealed with excitement and started to run out the door, before taking note of her nightgown and quickly changed into something else. Once she was decent, she rushed down the stairs of the, what she realized was a, mansion. She entered what seemed to be a dining room, where two people were eating. One was a woman who looked like her and the other was a man, Emily figured they were her fake parents.

The man looked up from his paper and smiled at her, "Ah, Emily. Good morning dear." He sounded exactly like her real father! Well, she supposed that made it easier to remember the parent thing.

"Hello father" She said, tugging lightly at the high-necked dress. It was rather uncomfortable to wear since she was use to wearing much looser dresses. And it showed no skin at all, unlike most of the dresses back home. How women could wear these things was beyond her. Emily sat in one of the chairs and a human, who seemed to be a servant, placed a plate in front of her. The former corpse eyed the food, before shrugged and taking a bite. It was nothing like the food at home. Not that it tasted bad or anything, she just wasn't used to it. Though fish bones will always be her favorite meal.

"So, my dear, I was hoping the two of us could go for a walk around the town, you know, get to know some of our new neighbors" her 'mother' said, smiling at Emily. The new human smiled and nodded happily.

 _~Skippy!~_

Emily was bored. Completely bored. Being up here was nothing like she'd hope! Everything was dull and grey! The humans all looked just as bored, but did nothing to fix it! She was started to regret this whole thing. True, Halloween Town is all dark and black practically all the time, even during the day, but it was still filled with fun creatures. And the Land of the Dead was colorful and full of, ironically, lively dead people.

She sighed as she walked through the town with a maid following behind. Apparently, in this human realm, women practically have no rights and were usually brushed off as something pretty to look at, much to her annoyance. If her real mother was here, she'd be marching around the town square banging a drum, announcing she was loud and proud and didn't give a damn about what the other people thought.

So lost in thought, she wasn't looking where she was going and bumped into someone's chest. Emily gasped as whoever she ran into quickly caught her before she could hit the ground. The man quickly righted her and gave a charming smile, making the former corpse's heart flutter.

"Forgive me, my lady. I was not looking where I was going" He bowed deeply, apologetic.

"Oh, it's quite alright. I, it was my fault really. I was lost in thought" Emily replied.

"If my lady would grace this poor man with her name?" He asked with a smile.

She blushed lightly, "Emily. My name is Emily Claus."

"Like the children's legend, correct? Santa, I believe," Emily nodded, a secret smile gracing her lips as she thought about her grandparents and aunt. "Well, Miss Claus, I am Lord Barkis Bittern."


	10. Chapter 10

**Me: Hello my beloved readers! Last chapter of Emily's backstory, then we get to the good stuff! ;) WOOP-WOOP! Please Enjoy and Review!**

Emily sighed as she fingered her rose. Barkis had given it to her after their day out. It was two days before her eighteenth birthday, and ever since she had met the lord, she spent nearly every day she could with him, a maid nearby of course. The man had stolen her heart in the few days she had known him.

Just that day he had asked for her hand in marriage and she couldn't be happier! However, she thought of her parents, her real ones, specifically her father. He'd flip if he ever found out. Which he was eventually. She was going home the next day. And Barkis didn't know about her true heritage, nor that she was really a corpse. But he loved her, so he shouldn't care! Besides, she'll tell him after they're married.

Emily made her way to her fake father's study and entered, giddy about what was to happen later. "Father, I have great news!" 

"Oh? What is it?" 

"Remember when I told you about the Lord I met, Barkis Bittern? He asked me to marry him!" 

Her fake father frowned, standing up, "Emily, I have already told you, he only cares about our money! You shouldn't waste your time with him. You'll find someone who truly cares about you someday and-"

"Barkis loves me! He doesn't want our money! You don't know him the way I do!" Emily huffed.

"Emily" her 'father' said sternly, "I will no longer hear about this man who has tricked you into thinking he feels anything other than greed!"

"Don't talk like that about him!"

"Enough! Go to your room, now! You naive child, someday you'll realize I do things the way I do because I care for you and don't want you hurt." 

Emily huffed and stomped towards her room. She slammed the door shut and blinked. Why was she listening to this fake? It's not as though he had any real control over her life! She grinned deviously and threw open her window and easily climbed down to the ground, rushing to the park where he love said he'd wait.

She quickly spotted him and eagerly hurried towards him, "Barkis!"

He turned towards her and smiled fondly at her, "Emily, darling!"

She buried her head into his chest with a pout, "Oh Barkis! Father has forbidden our marriage!" However, she had missed his annoyed expression at the news, which he quickly replaced it with a smile, lifting her chin up.

"It's alright Emily. We'll find a way to be together. We'll convince him somehow."

However, the former corpse shook her head, "He's too stubborn! He'll never allow us to marry!" 

"Well," her fiance said deviously, "Who said he had to allow us?"

Emily gasped and looked at him in surprise, "You mean...elope?"

"Of course. It seems to be our last chance to be together."

The love-blinded woman gave him a large smile and hugged him once again, "Oh Barkis!"

"Tomorrow night, meet me out at the old oak tree by the graveyard in the woods and we'll run away together." Emily happily nodded, but stopped, confused by his next words, "And bring the family jewels as well."

"But, why do we need those?"

"Well, we'll need money if we're going to start our new life together from scratch. I can't have my innocent little bride living in the streets, now can I?"

Emily let out a silent 'oh', nodding as she understood his reasoning, before once again grinning with happiness, "I'm getting married! Yay!" 

All the while, she didn't see Barkis Bittern's evil smirk as he watched her jump about in excitement.

 _~Skippy!~_

Emily peeked into her fake parents' room, and took notice of them both sleeping. Quietly, she creeped into the room, before opening her mother's closet and taking out her pristine wedding dress. It was beautiful and was a replica of her real mother's gown, only made to fit the times of this realm.

Emily then snuck out of the room and made her way to the safe, that was hidden behind one of painting. It wasn't real of course, but the illusion would make one think it was. When she, and her husband, went back to the underground, it would turn into dirt and rocks. They won't need money when they are transported to her true home, but for now, she'll pretend for her fiance.

The former corpse then put on the wedding dress and slowly made her way out of the mansion. She rushed through the town, crossing the bridge heading into the dark forest, eager to meet with her beloved fiance. It was almost eleven, and if they were to be married before she was dragged back home, then he better hurry.

Emily looked around happily, unaware of the dark plans that were to happen that very night. She shivered a bit as the wind brushed against her. Half an hour later and he still wasn't there. Where was he? Did he run into some trouble? What if he was hurt?!

However, her thoughts were cut off by a sharp pain against her head, forcing her to collapse to the ground with a groan. She slowly turned to look at her attacker, her vision blurry.

It was him! It was Barkis! He was simply picking up the dropped sack of jewels and gold, ignoring her injured body. Her (fake) father was right! All he wanted was the money! And he was trying to kill her to get it! Emily gently rubbed the back of her head, only to feel something wet. She moved her hand in front of her face to see red blood. But, how? It was just an illusion! A corpse doesn't bleed! Maybe there was more to the spell than Elder Gutknecht said. He did have a tendency to miss fine print.

Emily let out a whine as her body finally shut down, knocking her unconscious, the last thing she saw, was her horrid ex-fiance walking away with the fake money. She just wished she would've been there to see his face when the gold and jewels turned to useless dirt.

 _~Skippy!~_

When Emily next woke up, there was a clock bell ringing through the air. She slowly sat up to see she was still by the old oak tree. The woman looked down to see her body slowly turning back to her former self, blue and bony. She moved a hand to her chest, only to find her heart had stopped beating. It was her first deathday. Eighteen years old she was, and had an attempt on her (dead) life by the man she loved.

She sniffled as tears began to gather in her eyes. He never cared for her. He left her for dead. True she can't truly die as she's a corpse, but still. _He_ didn't know that! Emily glanced at the ring he had given her when he proposed a couple days ago. She slowly took it off her finger and clutched it her chest as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Happy birthday to me...Happy birthday to me...Happy birthday, dear, Emily….Happy...deathday...to me…" She cried softly. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. He wasn't worth her tears! He of all people didn't deserve her! Emily glared at the ring in her hand, before throwing it as far away from her as possible. She'll find someone better! Someone who actually loves her all she was, corpse body and everything! She'll show that greedy, money-stealing, murderous jerk! And when she finally has a husband who cares for her, she'll go after that horrid man.

Emily made a vow as smoke began to appear around her to take her home. She vowed that every year, she'd come back to this exact spot, and she'll wait for her true love to come rescue her from her despair. And they'll live together forever, just like her beloved parents.


	11. Chapter 11

**Me: I apologize for the long wait. You see, our internet shut off for a bit, so I couldn't update. But it's back now! And we finally get to see Victor! Yay! Please Enjoy and Review!**

 _~3 Years Later~_

A young, handsome but lanky man at the age of 19, was sitting at his desk, sketching a picture of a butterfly he had caught. He was trying to keep his mind off of his impending marriage to a woman he didn't even know. His parents were always trying to make him give up his art, believing it wasn't something that would attract a woman's attention and wasn't something a man should do, but he paid them no mind. He loved his art and playing the piano. It made him less nervous.

He was always like that. Nervous and skittish. Always scared of ruining people's impressions of him and that just made him continuously shake, and, in turn, ruin first impressions. He once accidentally spilled a basket of fish heads onto a poor lady when she was walking by. His parents forced him to give the fish business a try and he was so worried about making them disappointed he wasn't really paying attention. Needless to say, his parents now kept him away from the shop till he gained more courage.

Once he finished his drawing, Victor opened the window and smiled as the butterfly freely flew out into the sky, all the while wishing he could do the same. Victor watched in apprehension as Mayhew rode the carriage up to take them to the Everglott's mansion, which was right across the street. He asked why they couldn't just walk, but his mother immediately began a speech about how they had to arrive in style for the rich and prestigious family they were to join.

Victor winced as Mayhew started his terrible coughing once again. The young man swore it was from smoking his stupid pipe all the time and pleaded the poor man to stop before he killed himself, but he was ignored. As always.

Mrs. Van Dort opened the front door and began fanning herself as she exited the mansion, " _It's a beautiful day._ " 

" _It's a rather nice day_ " her husband said, closing the door behind them.

" _A day for a glorious wedding!_ "

" _A rehearsal, my dear, to be perfectly clear_ " Mr. Van Dort corrected her gently, placing her fox wrap around her shoulders.

" _A rehearsal for a glorious wedding!_ " She was rather excited about it. Even though it wasn't her own wedding. But soon they'll be in connection with one of the most known families in town!

" _Assuming nothings happens that we don't really know_ " Mr. Van Dort said. He just went along with this to keep his wife happy. Lord knows she could yell and screech up a storm when she didn't get her way. But he loved her all the same.

Mrs. Van Dort sneered at the muddy puddle at the bottom step, " _That nothing unexpected interferes with the show._ " She gave Mayhew a look and he immediately took off his apron and placed it onto the ground for her.

" _And that is why everything, every last little thing, every single tiny microscopic little thing must go,_ " Mrs. Van Dort swiped the old hat off Mayhew's head and replaced it with a new top hat to impress the Everglott's.

" _According to plan,_ "

" _Our son will be married._ "

" _According to plan,_ "

" _Our family carried._ "

" _Elevated to the heights of society._ " The married couple began to roll up the advertisement posters so that carriage was clear and spotless. It wouldn't be a good impression if they showed up with fish pictures on the side of the carriage.

" _To the costume balls,_ "

" _In the hallowed halls._ "

" _Rubbing elbows with the finest._ "

" _Having crumpets with Her Highness._ "

" _We'll be there, we'll be seen, having tea with the queen, we'll forget everything that we've ever, ever been!_ " Mrs. Van Dort began to climb into the carriage, making it dangerous lean to the side, the wheels creaking as the poor woman got stuck.

"Blimey! It's my dress is caught!" Immediately, both her husband and their coachman began to try and help her be pushed inside, as Victor winced and covered his eyes from his place in the window above. His mother was a large woman, but she'd never admit it. "It's not me. It's my dress that's caught. Where is Victor? We might be late!"

Victor sighed and put his sketchbook away, before, reluctantly, heading down the stairs towards the carriage. He entered the carriage and they began their short journey around the square, Victor staring out the window, his horror and nervousness growing as they grew closer and closer to the Everglotts.

"You've certainly hooked a winner this time Victor" His father complimented. As though Victor cared. He didn't even do anything. It was all his parents!

"Now all you've got to do is reel her in!"

"I'm already reeling, mother" Victor replied, as his hand started to shake, "Shouldn't Victoria Everglott be marrying, I don't know, a lord or something?" 

"Oh nonsense!" his mother argued, beginning to fan herself, "We're every bit as good as the Everglotts! I always knew I deserved better than a fish merchant's life!"

"But... I've never even spoken to her" Victor said as the carriage stopped, much to his ever growing horror.

"Well at least we have that in our favor" Mrs. Van Dort muttered. And then the poor coachman began his dreadful cough, "Mayhew! Silence that blasted coughing!" Vincent couldn't help but pity the man. It's not his fault. Mostly…

They exited the carriage and walked up the steps, before his mother rang the doorbell rope. And then began fussing over him, much to his embarrassment as he realized the door had been opened before his mother. When she noticed, she stopped and gave a nervous laugh, walking inside and admiring the entire mansion. "Oh my goodness! Oh such grandeur! Such impeccable taste! Oh, beautiful, innit?"

Victor glanced around the mansion nervously as his father began to try and butter Mrs. Everglott up with compliments. But in all his nervousness, he really only hear something about her being Victoria. If she was, the poor young man would have a conniption. Marrying a stranger was one thing, but marrying a much older stranger was another! And neither sounded very appealing.

"We'll be having tea in the west drawing room" Mrs. Everglott announced, before the couple began to show his parents towards the room, "Oh, do come this way." Victor slowly began to follow, lagging behind a bit as he looked around. It was a rather nice home, a bit dull though, just like the rest of the town. That's why he loved his art. It turned something dull into something beautiful.

However, a soft note hit his eardrum and he looked down to see a wonderful looking piano. Victor glanced at the parents, only to see them shutting the door. Deciding it wouldn't hurt and would be rather fun, he played a bit with the keys, hitting different notes softly as they combine to make a nice little tune. He looked over at the door to see if anyone would be coming out to make him stop, but there was nothing, so, hoping it'd make him less skittish, he sat down and began to play a song that just seemed to pop into his mind. It had a mysterious tone to it, but was a wonderful piece.

Victor continued to play, oblivious to his new audience. Until he opened his eyes and saw her out of the corner of his eye. He let out a surprised gasp and stood up, knocking the bench back, his elbow hitting the flower-filled vase. He quickly reached over and caught it, giving a nervous glance to the pretty woman beside him. He gave her a weak apology, "Do forgive me." 

"You play beautifully" She complimented.

"I-I-I do apologize, Miss Everglott" He stuttered, as always, "How rude of me to-well-" he noticed the bench still on the ground and crouched to pick it up, "Excuse me." 

Victoria moved her gaze to the ground, "My mother won't let me near the piano. Music is improper for a young lady. Too passionate, she says."

Victor looked up at her as he wiped the invisible dust from the seat of the bench, "If I may ask, M-Miss Everglott, where is your ch-chaperone?"

"Perhaps, in...in view of the circumstances, you could call Victoria." 

"Heh. Yes, of course. Well," And here comes the shaking again. Victor began to mess with his tie, twisting it about to help with his nervousness, "Miss V-Victoria."

"Yes Victor?" 

"Tomorrow, we are to be...m-m-mmm" By Lord he can't even get the word out of his mouth!

"Married" Victoria supplied.

"Yes. Ha. M-m-married." But, oh how he wished they weren't! He'd be perfectly happy if he remained single for the rest of his life! But at least she seemed pleasant enough. He could live with her and eventually grow to love her if given the time.

Victoria smiled at the nervous man, hoping to ease his nerves, "Since I was a child, I've dreamt of my wedding day. I always hoped to find someone I was deeply in love with. Someone to spend the rest of my life with. Silly, isn't it?"

"Yes. Silly. Ha" he replied absentmindedly. Before finally processing her words and shook his head frantically, "N-no! Not at all. No." He tried to act casual, but ended up knocked the vase over. Curse his clumsiness! "I'm deeply sorry!" Victoria helped him clean up the mess, right before her mother waltz in and began shouting.

"What impropriety is this?! You shouldn't be alone together!" She proclaimed in horror at the thought, "Here is it, one minute before 5 and you're not at the rehearsal. Pastor Galswells is waiting. Come at once!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Me: :D In this one, Victor and Emily meet! Yay! I shan't keep you waiting any longer! Enjoy and Review!**

 _~3 hours later (man there's a lot of three's in this story!)~_

Victor was sulking on the bridge after messing up the rehearsal, all by his clumsy self. He couldn't get his vows right at all, stuttering constantly and forgetting lines. Then the stupid candle just wouldn't light. And then he dropped the ring. And then he accidentally set his fiance's mother's dress on fire with previously said candle! Once they managed to calm the flames, he rushed out of the mansion and the town itself in his embarrassment. That one man who showed up in the middle of it didn't help with silently mocking him.

"This day couldn't get any worse" He muttered to himself. Of course, the world just had to prove him wrong as he heard the town crier announce his failure to the entire place. Just abso-freakin wonderful! Victor groaned and facepalmed before stomping towards the forest, hoping he could practice enough to finally get the vows perfect.

 _~Emily!~_

The poor corpse bride was sulking at the bar, playing with her cup of wine. It was that time of year again. The horrid day before her death day. The day the man she loved tried to murder her to steal her 'money'. She always got a bit sulky at first, before regaining spirits to go wait for her true love at the old oak tree. She was always disappointed when no one showed up.

When she came back underground, she rushed to her parents and sobbed the whole week away, much to the worry of her family and friends. The trickster trio tried to make her cheer up with some of their more nasty tricks, but nothing worked, so they just waited it out with her parents. When she finally was able to tell the whole story with crying in the middle of it, it took all of the citizens of Halloween Town to stop her father from marching uptop and killing the jerk who broke her heart. Her mother soon followed his lead when her own resolve broke and they had to call reinforcements from Christmas Town.

The trickster trio swore to spend the rest of the saps dead days torturing him when he finally died and entered the Land of the Dead. Emily just couldn't help but laugh at her family's attempts to cheer her up. Once she no longer cried her eyes out for days, even Bonejangles joined in and made up a song about the day. She just found it funny since it was a song based on her fake life she lived for a week, not including her spirit life at all, making her out to be one of their corpses and not a Halloween Town citizen. He mentioned part of the reason was to show that they thought of her as one of their own, their family. She found it rather sweet.

"Shouldn't you be getting up there now? You always leave at this time" Maggot, a bug who liked to live in her head, said from his resting place inside.

"Yes, but what's the point? Every year I go up there, and nothing happens. Why live on with false hopes and dreams?" Emily sighed.

Mrs. Widow then glided down to Emily's level, "Oh dear, take it from this poor widow, it'll get better as time goes by. But you shouldn't give up just because nothing happens right away!"

"Easy for you to say. You're the one that killed your husband" Emily huffed. But she couldn't blame the spider. It was in her nature as a Black Widow. Emily bite her lip and downed the glass of wine in one go, "Oh, what the hey! I've got a good feeling this year!"

"That's the spirit! No pun intended" Maggot said as Emily began her trek to Elder Gutknecht's tower. He always kept a spell prepared for her on this day.

Soon enough, she arrived at the oak tree and began her wait. She looked up at the branches to see the usual crows sitting around. They always kept her company on this dreadful day. They were there when she was 'murdered' and felt pity for the poor woman. Plus they were in contact with Elder Gutknecht, who usually chose one of their own as his assistant every decade.

Emily, getting bored, got up from her seat on a large root, and began to dance around to invisible music that only she could hear. Not so much a surprise that it sounded like wedding music. However, her graceful dance was cut off by her eye, once again, popping out of its socket and she chased after it as her eye rolled down a hill. She realized too late that the lower half of her left arm had popped off as well and was currently laying against the root she was sitting on beforehand.

Meanwhile, Victor was trying to rehearse the vows he as expected to say to Victoria at their arranged wedding. So far, it wasn't going well, "With this candle I will….I will light your mother on fire." He groaned as he stomped towards an old thick tree. Victor paused and looked around, getting the feeling that he wasn't really alone, but couldn't help but feel calm. As though he was supposed to be here.

He sighed and took out the golden ring he was to place on Victoria's finger. Perhaps if he just pretends it's not her he'll be less nervous. Maybe pretend he saying things to his dead dog Scraps. He was always comfortable around him, may he rest in peace. She'll be wearing a veil so it's not like he'll be staring her in the face. Bucking up the courage, Victor straightened his back and held up the ring, "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine." He snapped off a small branch and pretended it was a lit candle, "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine." And with that, he knelt down and placed the golden ring on a dusty root that strangely looked like a hand.

And then he gained an ominous feeling as wind began to blow against him a bit, crows cawing on a high tree above him. Victor looked at the crows with slight confusion as they seemed to be staring at him, but his attention was quickly brought to the root that had grabbed his arm and refused to let go. He let out a gasp and shook his arm, eventually forcing the root, or hand, off him, as he tumbles back, before gaping up at the figure that had suddenly appeared. It was a corpse. A female corpse, that was dressed up like a bride. She said two simple words, "I do." And that was the end of his resolve and he instantly got up, running away from the undead.

Emily had caught her eye soon enough and was making her way back to the tree to find her arm and wait for her true love, when, lo' and behold, he was right there reciting his vows perfectly! It was as if he wasn't scared at all! He must love her! Not like that horrid man whose name she had forgotten at the moment. It _has_ been three years. So, after he had placed the ring on her finger, she squealed to herself and instantly rushed over to her new husband, who had fallen back, the clumsy man, before accepting his vows with the traditional words.

But then he started running away from her for some reason. Emily gave chase, grabbing her lone arm as she past, hurrying after her husband. "Where are you going, silly? We haven't sealed our marriage yet!" But she couldn't help but giggle at her husband's antics. He was such a funny man! Her mother would surely approve of him.

Victor was running through the forest as quickly as possible. This can't be happening! It just can't! She was a dead woman! He could see some of her bones and everything! Her skin was _blue_ , for pete's sake! Was he dreaming? Is this some nightmare? Sure, she was rather pretty for a corpse, but...She's a corpse!

After some tripping and slipping on his part, and a rather embarrassing moment of him running into a tree and then running into the same tree right after, he made it to the bridge after escaping the branches that had caught onto him. It was as if even the forest was against him leaving! Victor crouched down to avoid the group of crows that flew after him before resting against the bridge railing, gasping for breath.

Victor took deep breaths as he looked around frantically, in search of the woman following him. But there was nothing. Just the forest and the church in the distance. He sighed and began to back away, ready to turn back home and forget this whole day, only to come face to face with the corpse woman. He exclaimed in shock, backing away from her, only to be blocked against the bridge railing as the crows circled around them, preventing his escape.

Emily giggle internally with excitement as she reached out for her husband, "You may kiss the bride." And Victor, well, he faint the moment the woman's lips touched his. Not from fear of her, but fear of the fact that he didn't seem to mind.


	13. Chapter 13

**Me: Here's a nice long chapter for you guys! It's filled with Emily and Victor moments! Yay! But, few things first. One, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Two, this is more important. There's a petition on Avaaz called 'We Are One People, Undivided', and it's about everything that happened with ISIS and Paris and muslims. I suggest you all go read it and, hopefully, support their cause, because that's what I did. Anyway, please Enjoy and Review.**

Emily had taken her unconscious husband down below and rested him in the Ball and Socket pub, the others gathering around in curiosity, as their lovely residential corpse bride seemed just giddy, bouncing around and giggling happily, something they haven't seen her do in years, since before her failed engagement.

"What's gotten you all hyped up, dollface? Not that any of us are complaining" Bonejangles stated.

Emily squealed, showing off her new ring, "I got married! I knew he'd come, I just knew it!"

"Out of the way! I've got a wedding cake to make!" Mrs. Plum instantly proclaimed, pushing through the crowd to get to the kitchen.

"I wonder how your father will react" Maggot said inside her head, but was loud enough for everyone to hear. Bonejangles snickered, just imagining Jack Skellington trying to strangle the poor sap who married their sweet bride, while Holly tried to pull him back with Emily shouting at her father to stop trying to harm her husband.

"New arrival!" Alfred, a skeleton with a handlebar mustache, announced as Emily gushed over her poor husband, who was slowly waking up.

"He must have fainted" She said worriedly, as her husband blinked his eyes open and stared at everyone in shock, "Are you alright?"

"Wha-What happened?"

Alfred leaned closer, hearing Emily's husband breathing and seeing his chest moving up and down, "By Jove! Looks like we've got ourselves a breather!"

"Does he have a dead brother?" Mrs. Plum asked, coming out of the kitchen, only to be pushed away by Joey, a little skeleton boy who wears a sailor outfit.

"He's still soft!"

"A toast then!" Bonesapart remarked, clinking cups with a soldier skeleton. Who then took out the sword that was stuck in the dwarf's, allowing the drink to spill out of the poor skeleton and into the soldier's cup, "To the newlyweds."

"Newlyweds?" Victor inquired, looking at the woman who seemed to have kidnapped him.

She smiled fondly, remembering their meeting, as she showed the ring he placed on her, "Oh, in the woods, you said your vows so perfectly!"

"I did?" Victor muttered, looking at the ring as the corpse woman wiggled her bony fingers, "I did…" And so he did what any normal person would do, and began to bang his head against the bar, "Wake up, Victor! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Bonjour!" Paul greeted as one of the cooks maneuvered a tray he was on around the crowd, "Coming through! Coming through!" His beetles scurried over to the living man, "Hello, I am Paul, the head waiter. I will be creating your wedding feast!"

Victor gasped and backed up at the decapitated head, almost bumping into his apparent 'wife'. but he jumped away again when her eye popped out of her head and a worm leaned out, "A wedding feast? I'm salivating!"

Emily, embarrassed, quickly shoved her eye back in, "Sorry. Maggot is renting my head. The doctor is trying to fix my eye."

Victor began to back away from the her, frankly freaked out with this whole ordeal, and he tumbled down, like usual. "Keep away!" He glanced around the room at all the skeletons and dead people, before spotting a sword sticking in one skeleton, and grabbed it, hoping the sword would slip out easily. Only it didn't. "I've got a...I've got a….dwarf...And I'm not afraid to use him! I want some questions. Now."

"Answers. I think you mean answers" The dwarf skeleton corrected.

"Thank you, yes, answers. I need answers. What's going on? Where am I? Who are you?" Victor immediately began questioning in a panic.

"Well," Emily started, wringing her hands together, "That's kind of a long story."

"A long story. A tragic tale of romance, passion, and murder most foul!" Bonejangles stated, with a grin, always one to begin his songs about the dead people downstairs. Their dear bride was one of his favorite songs.

"This is gonna be good" Bonesapart grinned at Victor, who gasped and dropped him, finally remembering the skeleton.

"Hit it boys" Bonejangles commanded, as his band instantly began the background music that went with Emily's song. " _Hey. Give me a listen, you corpses of cheer. At least those of you, who still got an ear. I'll tell you a story make a skeleton cry, of our own jubiliciously lovely corpse bride._ "

Emily giggled at their antics, no longer caring for the sad past now that she finally got her true husband. The other skeletons joined in, snapping their fingers, " _Die, die, we all pass away. But don't wear a frown cause it's really ok. You might try to hide and you might try to pray, but we all end up the remains of the day._ "

Victor tried to slip away, but a soldier skeleton grabbed his arm and held him in place as the others began a dance for the break.

Bonejangles dragged Emily onto the stage and acted out the lyrics, shadows appearing on the wall to represent her story, " _Well, our girl was a beauty known for miles around, when a mysterious stranger came into town. He was plenty good-looking, but down on his cash. And our poor little baby, she fell hard and fast. When her daddy said 'no', she just couldn't cope, so our lovers came up with a plan to elope._ "

" _Die, die, we all pass away. But don't wear a frown cause it's really ok. You might try to hide and you might try to pray, but we all end up the remains of the day._ " The band began a dance number as Bonejangles started scatting. Victor couldn't help but feel as though this story ended in tragedy, which made sense since the woman he 'married' was dead. But, for some reason, he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of the stranger who stole her heart. This is getting way to weird for him! 

" _So they conjured up a plan to meet late at night. They told not a soul, keep the whole thing tight. Now her mother's wedding dress fit like a glove, you don't need much when your really in love. Except for a few things, or so I am told. Like the family jewels and a satchel of gold. Then next to the graveyard by the old oak tree, she was ready to go! By where was he?_ "

"And then?" One corpse asked.

"She waited."

"And then?" Mrs. Plum asked.

"There in the shadows, was it her man?"

"And then?" Another cook asked.

"Her little heart beat so loud!"

"And then?" Paul joined the other three.

"And then, baby, everything went black. _Now when she opened her eyes, she was dead as dust. Her jewels were missing and her heart was bust. So she made a vow lying under that tree, that she'd wait for her true love to come set her free!_ " Bonejangles wrapped an arm around Victor's shoulder, as he felt sorry for the poor corpse, being killed by a man she loved just so he could have her money. " _Always waiting for someone to ask for her hand. Then out of the blue comes this groovy young man!_ " The skeleton then shoves Victor towards Emily, who took his hands began to spin around with her new husband, laughing happily, " _Who vows forever, to be by her side. And that's the story of our Corpse Bride!_ "

Unfortunately, Emily's arm came off from the momentum, knocking poor Victor into a couple of corpses, who easily catch him, before joining the song, " _Die, die we all pass away. But don't wear a frown cause it's really ok. You might try to hide and you might try to pray. But we all end up the remains of the day._ "

Victor shook off the dead woman's arm, before quickly slipping away from the corpses and skeletons, running up the stairs and out the door, needing to think about what the heck just happened to him. Emily saw her husband running off, and, after picking up her arm, hurried after him, hoping to help him with whatever ailed him.

However, she soon lost him in the large town. "Victor darling, where are you?" 

"If you ask me, your boyfriend is kinda jumpy" Maggot remarked.

Emily huffed, "He's not my boyfriend, he's my husband. Victor, where have you gone?"

The Maggot shoves his head out of her socket, popping Emily's eye out, "I'll keep an eye out for him."

"Do you mind? I have enough problems keeping my eye in its socket, I don't need you making it even looser!" Emily complained, before calling out for her husband once more. Unbeknownst to her, he was hiding behind a nearby platform that was holding a skeleton horse. He needed some time alone to think! Why couldn't she leave him be?!

So, let him think, he accidentally married a dead woman when practising his vows, and she took it seriously because she wanted to finally have a husband after being betrayed by her fiance however long ago. Yeah, that makes sense. Not! He can't be married to a dead woman, no matter how pretty! And yes, for some reason he thought a rotting corpse was pretty. His parents would have heart attacks if they knew.

Unfortunately, his thoughts were cut off by the maggot that lived in his 'bride's' head who announced his hiding place. He immediately ran off to find another place to hide and think as she replaced her eye and ran after him.

"Victor?" Emily called out, losing him at the 2nd hand shop, which literally sold second hands to corpse's that lost their own. Thankfully, all of the hands point in the direction her husband went, "Thank you." She hurried towards the direction all the while calling for her husband, "Victor! Where are you?"

Victor looked around frantically as he reached an alley filled with empty coffins. So, hearing his 'wife' get closer, he stood in one coffin and pretended he was one of those corpses that walked around. Thankfully, she just passed by him.

Alright, now where was he? Oh yeah, he was internally freaking out because he was attracted to a dead woman!

"Married, huh? I'm a widow" A spider said, slinking down to his eye level, scaring the poor living man. In his fright, he hit her away and ran off, because, really, it was a talking spider! But he really shouldn't be surprised since that maggot also talks. "How rude. He went that way!"

Emily turned to see Mrs. Widow and, after a quick thank you, rushed after her husband. "Victor? Where have you gone?"

After a few more instances with dead people, such as one's head falling off as he tried to explain he shouldn't be down there and one who kept getting in the way before splitting apart and hopping around him, he reached a dead end, much to his dismay. He heard his 'wife' calling out for him, her voice getting closer, and, seeing no other choice, began to climb the wall. He was a rather good climber due to times as a child where he snuck into the forest.

Emily giggled at her husband's behavior, seeing him climbing up a wall. He was so athletic! She simply climbed up the stairs the wall was connected to and waited for him at the railing. Soon enough, he reached the top and grabbed ahold of her leg to help him get to the surface. "Could've used the stairs, silly." She reached down and easily picked him up, before sighing at the sight before them, "Oh, isn't the view beautiful? It takes my breath away! Well, it would if I had any." Emily skips over to the bench nearby, "Isn't it romantic?" She sat down and patted the seat next to her with a smile.

Victor gave a small inaudible groan as he tried to regain his breath from the climb he took. So, not only did he completely fail at getting away from her to think, he finds out there were stairs he could've used to save time and probably gotten away. Just his luck. Seeing no way to decline her offer, he sighed and slumped into the bench next to his 'wife', internally realizing the word was sounding more and more right as time went on.

"Look, I'm terribly sorry about what's happened to you, and I'd like to help, but I really need to get home" He tried to explain, but she didn't understand.

"Down here is your home now. It's our home."

"But I don't even know your name" Victor argued.

Emily blinked, realizing he was right. But who cared because they were married now and they had all of eternity to learn more about one another! Unfortunately, Maggot just couldn't keep his mouth shut, "Well that's a great way to start a marriage." 

Victor raised an eyebrow at the corpse bride as she turned and began hitting her head hushedly commanding whatever to shut up. He was wondering about whether he had married an insane dead woman, but vaguely recalled her stating that Maggot rented her head as his living space. Now he remembered. Weird, but it can't be stranger than anything else he's seen today.

"It's Emily. Emily Skellington. Or, was. Now it's Emily whatever-your-last-name-is!" She said happily.

"Van Dort" He replied mindlessly, lost in his thoughts. Emily was a rather pretty name, it fit her.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have something for you!" Emily gasped, reaching down and handing him a wrapped box. It looked like one they got on Christmas. Emily leaned towards him and cover her mouth as though to tell a secret, "It's a wedding present." She giggled and waited for him to open it.

Victor glanced at the brightly colored box and shook it lightly, trying to figure out what exactly she gave him. Emily bit her lip lightly as he opened it. She hoped he liked it! It took her some magic that she borrowed from her mother, but it worked. Victor opened the box and gasped at the sight of bones.

However, he didn't want to be rude and muttered a thank you. Before the box started shaking about and practically jumped out of his lap. The bones scattered before coming together to form the shape of a dog. The dog barked and picked up the red collar, bringing it to Victor and sitting on it's hind legs, bony tail wagging happily. Victor read the faded inscription and looked at the skeleton dog in shock, "Scraps?" The dog barked happily, "Scraps! My dog Scraps!" Scraps jumped up into his arms and he wrapped the collar around his bony neck.

Emily giggled at the sight, before hoping Victor liked all dogs. Because then he'll have two when they go back to Halloween Town! Scraps and Zero. Oh, and she couldn't forget about Snowden, her mother's cat, a bit ironic since his name meant snowy hill and his fur was black.

"Oh Scraps, what a good boy. Who's my good boy?" Scraps jumped down and wagged his bottom in the air, "Sit. Sit, Scraps, sit." The dog barked and sat down, "Good boy, Scraps. Roll over." His dog did just as commanded, though his head didn't roll an inch. But Victor supposed that was since his body didn't have any muscles to connect him in place. "Good boy, Scraps. Play dead." Scraps just stared and Victor facepalmed, "Right. Sorry."

Scraps barked and hopped up between Victor and Emily, the corpse woman rubbing his head, "Oh what a cutie!"

"You should've seen him with fur" Victor remarked, making Emily giggle.

"Oh I just know you and Zero are going to get along perfectly!" She sighed happily as Victor scratched Scraps' back, making his leg shake in pleasure.

"Zero?" Victor asked curiously.

"My father's ghost dog" Emily waved him off as Scraps climbed up into Victor's lap.

"There's ghosts here too?" Her husband paled. Well, further than before. First corpses, then skeletons, and now ghosts?!

"Well, not 'here'" Emily stood up and walked to the railing, pointing to the distance, "You see the darker place? The one with black and white swirls and large castle? That's Halloween Town, our home. It's where all the creepy and scary things in the world come from. My father is the leader of the town, the Pumpkin King. And my mother is the Pumpkin Queen, even though she's really a Christmas Town Heiress with my Aunt Carol." 

Victor blinked at her, "Excuse me?"

Emily chuckled a bit nervously, "Well, I never really was human. I was born a corpse. My mother's form looks human, while my father is a skeleton, so I was just a combination of them, and my mother is one of the two daughters of Santa Claus. The song was made after I came home from a week in your realm as a human. Father never really let me go uptop and I got a bit restless. It was the worst week of my life, really."

"I...see…" Victor muttered, needing something else to think about now. So, let's fix this story. He accidentally married some sort of spirit woman, who was betrayed by a man she fell in love with in a week she spend with humans, and she's related to Santa, who is a real person? At this rate, his mind just might break….

"Victor, darling, are you already?" Emily asked, worried as she looked at him staring in the distance. He didn't seem all there.

"Yes...yes, I"m fine. Just...needed to process things is all…"

Emily giggle hesitantly, "Well it is a lot of information to take in. Anyway, don't worry. My parents will like you just fine. Mother's been eager for me to finally get a husband who loves me, unlike whatever his name was!"

Victor just nodded, feeling slightly guilty since he spend all this time trying to get away from the woman who just wanted someone to love her. Well, he already had an, albeit weird, attraction to her, so he could grow to love her. Except there was the whole thing with Victoria and that fact that his wife is a corpse spirit….Well, he's already married to Emily, apparently, so the least Victor could do was tell Victoria that she was released from their arrangement. But how to get up there is the problem.

Emily tilted her head in thought, "Do you think your parents would approve of me?"

Victor let out a dry laugh, "You're lucky you'll never have to meet them, especially my mother." Wait... This is perfect! He could convince Emily to take him back and he could talk with Victoria about all this. And possibly his parents. Pushy or not, they did deserve to know what's happened to him. "Well, now that you mention it. I think you should meet them. In fact, since we're, you know, married, you should definitely meet them. We should go and see them right now."

"Oh, what a fantastic idea! Where are they buried?" Emily asked eagerly walking towards her husband. Victor paused. What if they couldn't go up top? But, Emily had gone up there somehow! So there must be a way. "What? What is it?"

"They're not from around here."

"Where are they?" Victor simply pointed up and Emily instantly understood, "Oh! They're still alive...Well, that does present a problem…" But then Scraps starts barking and Emily kneels beside him, "What's that Scraps?" Victor raised an eyebrow at her speaking to Scraps like she understood him, before shrugging it off as her being a spirit. "Oh, but he already does so much for me, I couldn't possibly-" She was cut off by Scraps barking at her, "Well, when you put it that way." 

"What?" Victor asked, feeling a twinge of jealously at the mention of a male helping Emily so much. Which made him shake it out of his head. He barely knew her, he shouldn't be jealous of any friends she has, 'wife' or not!

"Elder Gutknecht."


	14. Chapter 14

**Me: Hey guys! First month of December! Woo! Only 24 more days! Please Enjoy and Review!**

Emily and Scraps led Victor up the large tower in the middle of the Land of the Dead, Scraps barking excitedly, "Shh, Scraps. Elder Gutknecht? Are you there?" Victor looked around the book-filled room in awe. This place had so many books, he was sure he could get lost there. "Hello? Is anyone home? Hello?"

Victor wasn't looking where he was going and accidentally knocked over a pile of books, scaring the crows and waking said skeleton from his nap. The old skeleton coughed before looking around as Emily smiled fondly at her pseudo grandfather, "There you are!"

Elder Gutknecht put on his moon glasses and finally was able to see Emily, "Oh, there you are, my dear. You're back earlier than normal. Usually you wait until the morning to come back." 

"Yes well, I wanted you to meet my husband, Victor" Emily introduced, hugging Victor's arm happily.

"Husband? He finally came? Well good for you darling." 

"Pleasure to meet you sir" Victor said a bit louder, unsure if the elderly skeleton would be able to hear him.

"We need to go up. Upstairs? To visit the land of the living."

"Again? I don't understand why you wish to go back up there when you already found your husband. Besides, people are just dying to get down here" Gutknecht said, slowly making his way to the floor, using the piles of books as stairs.

"Very funny" Emily said dully, before giving him a pleading look, "Please!" 

"Please sir, it'd mean so much to m-us" Victor stumbled, almost forgetting he was there with his wife.

"Well-"

"Please!" Emily begged with a pout.

"Oh fine. Now, where did I put that book?" Victor internally winced. If he lost a book here, it would probably be weeks before he found it. Fortunately, however, it took only a few minutes, "Aha, here it is." He took the book and gathered a few bottles of potions, before going back to his desk. He flipped through the book, before looking up at Emily, "I'll just use the Ukrainian Haunting Spell instead of the spell I use to send you back this time of year. The haunting spell allows you to come back whenever you want, instead of waiting the designated time.

Emily leaned over to her husband with a smile, "So glad you thought of this."

"Me too" He muttered, feeling guilty for lying to her. They watched as Elder Gutknecht began mixing potions and other items together in a goblet. When he finished, the two waited anxiously for them to be transported to the Land of the Living, only for Elder Gutknecht to down the drink in one go instead.

"Where were we?"

"Uh, The Ukrainian Haunting Spell" Emily reminded him.

"Oh right." Elder Gutknecht then takes his crow assistant and squeezes him, making an egg plop out. Gutknecht takes the egg and holds it up to crack it, "Now, remember, when you want to come back, just say 'Hopscotch'." 

"Hopscotch?" Emily giggled, remembering her time with the trickster trio when they were younger and used spiders as the rocks.

"That's it" Gutknecht replies simply, before cracking the egg and pouring the smoke over the couple, making them disappear from his view. The two soon reappear in front of the old oak tree where Victor had accidentally married Emily.

Emily smiled widely at the moon above, "I've always loved seeing the moonlight in this realm. The moon in Halloween Town doesn't compare. Then again, it's just a giant yellow circle, not a beautiful white." Unable to resist, she began to dance around, giving in to her selfish goal of entrancing her husband with the beauty and grace everyone constantly told her she had.

Victor watched his wife glide around the clearing, obviously lost in her silent music if the wide smile and slight humming has anything to say about it. His heart thumped against his chest as the guilt he felt for lying to her grew, but he had to see Victoria! Not because he wished he had married her instead, but because he doesn't. He had to explain everything to her and let her out of the arranged marriage.

Emily, while Victor was turned away and lost in thought, had accidentally tripped over a root and her bony leg snapped off as she tumbled to the ground. Maggot popped out of her ear and gestured to her leg, "I think you dropped something." Embarrassed, she quickly grabbed her leg and snapped it back in place right before her husband turned back to her. She gave him an uneasy smile, before going back to dancing around. She even tried to get her husband to join in, but he quickly, and gently, sat her on a large root instead.

"I think I should, prepare Mother and Father for the big news. I'll go ahead, and you, wait, here" Victor forced out, shoving his guilt down.

"Perfect!" Emily replied happily.

"I won't be long" Victor tells her, starting back away, "Stay right here. I'll be right back. No peeking." Emily giggled as Victor ran off towards civilization.

It took him a while to reach the Everglotts, but he soon did. He was about to knock on the front door, but then heard Victoria's parents talking about the best way to strangle him, and then decided to climb up the wall to avoid them.

Meanwhile, Emily was waiting for her husband, growing more bored by the minute. "This is the voice of your conscience. Listen to what I say. I have a bad feeling about that boy. You know, he is no-" Emily rolled her eyes at Maggot's antics and banged the side of her head, forcing the bug to shoot out of her ear.

"Go chew on someone else's ear for a while. Victor has gone to see his parents, just like he said" Emily huffed at Maggot, who wiggled his way out of the snow.

"If I hadn't just been sitting in it, I would've said you lost your mind!"

"I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason for taking so long" Emily trailed off, starting to doubt her own husband. She blamed Maggot for all the whispers in her ear.

Said bug just huffed, "I'm sure he does. Why don't you go ask him?"

"Alright, I will" Emily replied stubbornly.

"After all," Maggot continued, gesturing to the footprints Victor left behind, "He couldn't get far with those cold feet." 

With Victor, he reached the second floor and knocked on the glass door when he noticed Victoria had her back turned to him. She gasped when she saw him, but opened the door, pulling him towards the fireplace, "Where have you been? Are you alright? You're as cold as death. What's happened to you? What happened to your coat?" 

Victor sighed, "Victoria, I confess. I have had an...experience. This morning I was...terrified of marriage. But then on meeting you, I felt that, it wouldn't be too bad. We both got along and have similar interests. However, after I….ruined, the rehearsal, I went into the woods and...something happened."

"What is it? Did an animal attack you?" Victoria gasped, worried that he was hurt. Yes, he was right, their marriage wouldn't be too bad. At least they could be friends if nothing more, not like her parents, who didn't seem to like each other at all.

"No no. Nothing like that. Well…" Victor paused, then again, the crows flew after him, but, on second thought, they didn't really hurt him, "No. It's just, I seem to find myself already married." 

"I...don't understand" Victoria said slowly, looking at Victor oddly. He didn't blame her, "How…" 

"It sort of came unexpectedly. But I just wished to let you know that, with this new marriage, the arrangement our parents made is void. They cannot force our marriage any longer. You can find someone you love instead." 

Victoria couldn't stop the smile that reached her face, remembering what they talked about when they first met. "Thank you Victor."

Victor nodded, happy he was able to set the innocent woman free, but gasped when saw his own spirit wife climbing up the balcony. Victoria, worried about why Victor gasped, started to turn, but Victor took her face and kept it away from the doors. "Yes well, now that that is all out of the way, there's one more thing you should. My wife, well, she isn't exactly from around here."

"What do you mean?" Victoria asked confused.

"Uh, well, you see-" However he was cut off by the doors slammed open, wind rushing in as Emily walked inside, trying to fix her veil, which had flown over her head.

"My darling, I apologize but I just couldn't wait to meet-" Emily cut herself off with a gasp at the young woman standing near her husband. Emily gave him an uneasy smile, pulling him closer by his arm, "Victor, darling, who is this?"

"Who is she?" Victoria trembled, scared by the sudden appearance by this….woman. The young victorian could see some of her bones and her skin was blue! Wh-

"I'm his _wife_ " Emily said proudly, showing off her ring smugly. She was the one wearing Victor's ring, not this other woman! And she was going to rub it in her face. How dare she try to steal her husband! 

"Victor?" Victoria asked, looking at her ex-fiance with wide eyes. When he said she wasn't from around here, he meant she was dead?! Wh-Can the living even marry the dead?! This just didn't seem right to her!

Victor had no idea what to say. 'The woman I told you about is a corpse spirit who lives in a spirit town underground'? Yeah, that'd go well. In his panic, he barely registered what he actually did, which he realized was much worse. He took Emily's hand and showed off the bony structure, "She's dead. Look."

Emily snatched her arm away from her, her anger growing. How could he betray her like this?! Why? Why did every man she loved have to betray her? Why?! Was it impossible for someone to love her? Was that it?! She backed away to the balcony, the wind seeming to match her anger, blowing harshly against them as the corpse glared at them, making her seem much more frightening than Victor thought she could be, "Hopscotch." Emily grabbed Victor's arm and dragged him with her as the crows flew around them, the magic transporting them back to the underground, despite Victor's surprised cry of 'No'.


	15. Chapter 15

**Me: Poor Em. She and Victor got issues….Nothing some bonding won't fix! Please Enjoy and Review!**

"You lied to me!" Emily exclaimed, pushing Victor away after the crows dispersed and revealed them back at the tower. "Just to get back to that other woman!" 

"It's not like that! We're just friends! And, well, I was suppose to marry her before all this, so, technically, you're the other woman" Victor argued pathetically, trying to make her understand.

"No! You're married to _me_ , _she's_ the other woman!" Emily cried, turning away from her traitorous husband as she began to cry.

"She's got a point" Elder Gutknecht added in, making Victor beg him to stay out of it with his eyes.

"And I thought-I thought it was going so well!" Emily sobbed as her eye, once again, popped out and rolled towards Victor.

"Look," Victor started, hesitating for a moment, before picking up her eye and giving it a swipe against his clothes to clean off the dust and dirt, "I'm sorry, but this just can't work."

"Why not?" Emily sniffled, taking her eye back and hugging it to her chest, "It's my eye, isn't it?"

"No" Victor immediately argued, "You eye is, lovely." Though he had to advert his own eyes as his wife put her loose eye back in its socket. He couldn't help it! It was just weird! "Under different circumstances, who knows? But we're just too different. I mean, you're a corpse spirit. I'm not even dead." 

"You should've thought about that before you asked me to marry you" Emily huffed her voice a bit stuffy from her crying.

"Why can't you understand? It was a mistake! I would never marry you" Victor said, his annoyance at her not listening to him making him say something completely different from what he was planning. And, here comes the guilt as Emily stares at him, the look of complete hurt and betrayal clear. Victor paled as he processed what he just said, "Wait, I didn't mean that!"

However, the words couldn't be taken back. They were already said, and they hurt. Badly. Emily kept back the tears that were threatening to come back as she ran out of the tower all the while ignoring Victor's calls.

Victor groaned and hit himself in the head. Curse his stupid mouth! Elder Gutknecht, who had been quietly watching the entire time, felt pity for both parties, as it was clear Victor said that without thinking and deeply regretted it. However, the old skeleton just couldn't help himself, "Her father is going to kill you when he hears what you did." And that made Victor pale further.

 _~Skippy!~_

Emily sniffed as she slouched onto a cushioned coffin sofa, picking at her bouquet, ripping out the flowers slowly, pretending they were her own heart, "Roses, for eternal love. Lilies, for sweetness. Baby's breath." Emily scoffed and threw the bouquet away from her.

Scraps trotted over to the flowers and sniffed at them, before looking at his master's mate. What did his master do to make her sad? He wasn't supposed to make his mate sad! He was supposed to make her happy!

Mrs. Widow slinked down next to Emily's head, "Why so blue?"

Emily sighed, "Maybe he's right. Maybe we _are_ too different."

But then a familiar voice echoed in her skill, "Maybe he should have his head examined." Emily picked her ear taking Maggot out of her head, "I could do it."

"Or perhaps he _does_ belong with her" Emily muttered bitterly, "Little miss living. With her rosy cheeks and beating heart."

"Oh those girls are ten a penny! You've got so much more!" Mrs. Widow argued, hoping to lift her friend's spirits. No pun intended. "You've got, you've got...You've got a wonderful personality."

"What do men care for personality? Turns out all they care for is money and looks…"

"What about your father? And Lock? And Barrel? They don't care" Maggot said.

"Human men…"

Maggot and Mrs. Widow exchanged a look before nodding, " _What does that little wispy brat have that you don't have double?_ "

" _She can't hold a candle to the beauty of your smile_ " Mrs. Widow added.

" _How about a pulse?_ " Emily huffed, placing Maggot on the edge of the coffin.

" _Overrated by a mile_ " Maggot waved her off.

" _Overvalued._ "

" _Overblown._ "

" _If he only knew the you that we know_ " Maggot and Mrs. Widow sang together. Emily just scoffed and rolled her eyes. Mrs. Widow scurried over to her hand, " _And that silly little creature isn't wearing his ring._ "

" _And she doesn't play piano._ " Maggot added before Mrs. Widow joined him, " _Or dance or sing. No she doesn't compare._ " 

" _But she still breathes air_ " Emily huffed.

" _Who cares? Unimportant._ " 

" _Overrated._ "

" _Overblown._ "

" _If only he could see how special you can be. If he only knew the you that we know._ "

Emily sighed and stood up, hugging herself in an effort of comfort, " _If I touch a burning candle, I can feel no pain. If you cut me with a knife it's still the same. And I know her heart is beating. And I know that I am dead. Yet the pain here that I feel. Try and tell me it's not real. And it seems that I still have a tear to shed._ " Emily sniffed, leaning against a wall and sliding down it in self-pity.

However, Mrs. Widow and Maggot refused to give up and made their way over to her, " _The sole redeeming feature from that little creature is that she's alive._ " 

" _Overrated._ " 

" _Overblown._ "

" _Everybody knows that's just a temporary fate, which is cured very quickly when we meet our fate._ " Scraps picked up the bouquet and trotted over to Emily, hoping to make her feel better as well as he placed the flowers in front of her.

" _Who cares?_ "

" _Unimportant._ " 

" _Overrated._ "

" _Overblown._ "

" _If only he could see how special you can be. If he only knew the you that we know._ "

Emily, however, had enough and strung them away, using Mrs. Widow's silk to do so. She got up and slowly walked back to the sofa as tears gather in her eyes once more that day. " _If I touch a burning candle I can feel no pain. In the ice or in the sun it's all the same. Though I feel my heart is aching. Though it doesn't beat, it's breaking. And the pain here that I feel, try and tell me it's not real. And I know that I am dead. Though it seems that I still have some tears to shed._ " Emily laid down on the sofa as a tear escapes and trickles down her eye as she wallows in her misery and heartbreak. 

Maggot and Mrs. Widow look at one another and sigh, finally deciding it was best to just leave Emily alone for now. But they swore to themselves to go back later to try again.


	16. Chapter 16

**Me: Part 2 of last chapter! I left you on a cliffhanger! Mwahaha! I'm so evil! Please Enjoy and Review!**

Victor was looking everywhere for Emily, and failing. He couldn't find her anywhere. He knew she was most likely avoiding him, but he had to apologize. He didn't mean what he said. Not at all. Actually, the more time passes, the more willing he was to stick to this marriage. Emily was a wonderful woman, spirit or dead or whatever.

Soon, as he sighed, about to give up on finding her, Scraps appeared in front of him, carrying Emily's blue flower bouquet no less. Victor reached down to take it, but Scraps just bounced away his tail wagging. Once more Victor tried to take the bouquet, but Scraps just did the same thing again. Scraps gave a muffled bark and Victor realized that the skeleton dog was trying to bring him to Emily.

Scraps led him to an empty Ball and Socket Pub where Victor could hear a piano playing. The skeleton dog whined and placed the flowers in front of Victor, who took a breath to calm his nerves. He picked up the bouquet and began his trek up the stairs, the music growing louder. He felt a pang of guilt at the melancholy and sad notes.

Victor entered the pub to see Emily slowly hitting the piano keys as she stared down blankly. He slowly walked towards her, but she doesn't spare him a glance, "I...think you dropped this." Not even a pause. Victor sighed and placed the bouquet on the piano's cushioned top. He was going to turn and leave, but he just couldn't leave his poor wife there, sad and alone, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied to you about wanting to see my parents. Victoria and I...it was arranged by our parents. Neither of us wanted to marry. I didn't even meet her until, well, yesterday now. It's just this whole day hasn't gone quite...well..according to plan." Emily barely acknowledged him as she played a small tune in minor chords.

In hopes of cheering her up and getting his wife to stop ignoring him, Victor played the same tune, only in a major chord, making it more cheery and happy. He got a glare from Emily, but at least she wasn't ignoring him! She continued to her sad song, only for Victor to copy her once more in major. She huffed but ignored him, finished the song off with a low melancholy note.

Victor, taking the initiative, began to play a poignant and upbeat song, the same one he played on the Everglotts' piano. He couldn't help himself, it was as though his mind create the song specifically to make Emily happy again. It was unusual seeing the woman moping about. Ever since he met her she's been so happy and bouncy. He stopped the song midpoint, hoping Emily would join, but she just glared at him from the corner of her eye as she kept her back turned. Undeterred, he continued to song, once again stopping for her to hop in.

He got another glare, and sighed, figuring it was pointless, and began a different song. However, right after he started playing, Emily began playing on the keys, practically completely the song, both of their parts joining together in one song. Victor smiled happily at her, glad she was no longer upset, and she smirked back, as though taunting him that she could play better since her part was louder and almost overpowering his.

However, before they could even play a finishing note, her hand snapped off and began to dance on the keys and onto his arm. The two chuckled as he caught her dancing hand, not bothered by the bony structure at all.

"Pardon my enthusiasm" Emily remarked with a shy smile, slightly embarrassed.

"I like your enthusiasm" Victor stated, reconnecting her hand for her.

She smiled happily and sighed, "Well, at least we got our first fight as a married couple out of the way. I heard they're always so awkward." 

Victor chuckled, "Not the best way to start a marriage."

"Not the worst. Five minutes into my parents' marriage, mother accused my father of loving Christmas more than her. They had this huge argument over it and she ignored him for an entire week before he begged for her to stop, going as far as to get on his knees, in front of the Trickster Trio no less. And he would never do something like that in front of them unless he absolutely meant it."

"All these stories I hear about your parents and I still haven't met them." 

"Well, I haven't met yours" Emily pointed out, and Victor winced at the reminder of his lie, though Emily waved him off, "Forget it. A little lie is nothing compared to trying to kill me for money." Victor's lips twitched at that. Whoever that man was, it was his loss on leaving behind a wonderful woman. "Jokes on him. The money and jewels turned back to dust when the spell took me back home on my birthday. Which was only half an hour after he tried to kill me and stole my money."

Victor chuckled, "I can't imagine how he reacted when he found out." 

Emily giggled, "I would've loved to see his face and gloat." The two smile at one another, but their little moment was ruined when a bell started ringing loudly as corpses and skeletons rushed in Mrs. Plum announcing a 'New arrival'.

Paul immediately started serving drinks, complaining about his beetles being bad help. Mrs. Plum pushed her way through the crowd to greet the new corpse, "Welcoming committee coming through!" She took the new corpse's hand and patted it with a smile, "My name is Plum. Mrs. Plum."

"Mayhew?" Victor muttered, spotting the familiar hunched back, as Emily looked at him curiously, "Mayhew! How nice to see you-" His old coachman turned around to reveal his blue face, making Victor gasp a bit in surprise, "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, yeah. Actually, though, I feel great" Mayhew said, taking a deep breath without his stupid coughing for once. "But, how are you down here? Alive?"

"Long story short, I accidentally married a corpse spirit and she brought me down here" Victor shrugged, gesturing back to Emily, who was talking with Bonejangles, glancing at her husband with a smile as she felt his eyes.

"Spirit?" 

"Yes, it's a bit confusing, but it works. Anyway, how is everyone? They must be worried."

Mayhew took a sip of the drink Paul gave him, "Well, they're all still wondering where you've run off to. Oh, and, uh, Miss Victoria, she's getting married this evening." 

"Already?" Victor asked in surprise. That was quick. Did she already have someone she loved when their marriage was arranged?

"Yeah. Her parents picked him out for her. I heard she was pretty upset with it."

"What? To who?" Victor asked, surprised.

"Some newcomer, Lord Somebody-or-Other. With you gone and all, I guess they didn't want to waste the cake" Mayhew let out a pathetic laugh at his bad joke.

Victor then wandered off, deep in his thoughts. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He vaguely heard his wife calling out for him in worry as he passed. He found an empty coffin in a lit alleyway and sat there to think.

Did he break off their engagement for nothing? Did he give her false hope, only for her parents to crush them into dust? What if that lord didn't treat her properly? At least he would've cared for her, but who knows what this lord was like. Victor couldn't help but feel as though this was his fault. Yes, he was happy with Emily, but why should he be happy when Victoria was stuck in a horrid marriage? She didn't deserve that. She deserved to have her dream come true and marry a man she loved, whoever he may be.

Victor shook his head. It was too late now. There was nothing he could do short of killing whoever Victoria was forced to marry, and he could never do that just for the man taking up her parents marriage offer. Victor then heard his wife's voice coming from a nearby door and got up, planning to just forget all about the world above and stay below with his corpse spirit wife.

"Oh, Mrs. Plum, what am I to do? He just walked off, without saying a word! Are all men like this? I mean human men. After all, I know my father, nor Lock or Barrel, are like this. Shock is Barrel's entire world, and Lock, well, he keeps his attention on whoever he's leading on for the week. And don't even bother talking about my father. He'd give mother the entire universe if she asked." Victor, deciding to wait a moment, just stood behind the door to wait for the right moment to enter, not wanting to interrupt.

"Well, I'm afraid they aren't very bright. They get something stuck in their heads, and you can't do a thing with them" Mrs. Plum said, taking a knife out of a corpse's back and cleaning it.

Victor was about to enter and greet his wife and corpse friends, but then, Elder Gutknecht entered the room and he waited some more, "My dear, we need to talk."

"Let me tell her. Please. Let me tell her" Maggot begged with a devious laugh, being carried on the book.

Emily frowned, suspicious of the little bug's behavior, "What?"

"There is a complication with your marriage" Elder Gutknecht told her somberly.

"I don't understand…" 

"The vows are only binding until death do you part," 

"So?"

"Death has already parted you" Gutknecht sighed.

Emily gasped, immediately going on the defensive, "B-but I was _born_ a corpse! Shouldn't that make a difference?"

"Didn't I explain this to you years ago? True, you were born as a corpse, but you were alive as you grew older each year. When you turned eighteen, you stopped growing. Your heart stopped beating. You, in all purposes, died that day. That is why we refer to your birthday as your deathday now."

Emily moved her eyes to the ground as she understood now. "If he finds out, he'll leave." Victor couldn't help but wonder what he did to make her doubt him. Then again, he did lie to her, get caught in a misunderstanding with another woman he was to marry, and then break her heart with harsh words. Alright, he completely deserved her mistrust. "There must be something you can do!"

"Well, there is one way" Elder Gutknecht said.

"Oh, please, please, let me tell her" Maggot begged.

"It requires the greatest sacrifice."

"Go on, get to the good part!" Maggot cackled.

Emily frowned, "What is it?"

"We have to kill him!" Maggot answered excitedly, making Victor worry about why the bug wanted him dead so badly, and why he was so excited about it. Emily gasped at the news, and Victor paused, staring at her from his spot behind the door, wondering what she would say. If she said ok, well, then she wasn't the woman he thought she was.

"Victor would have to give up the life he had, forever" Gutknecht emphasised as Maggot cackled evilly. "He would need to repeat his vows in the Land of the Living and drink from the wine of ages."

"Poison" Emily gasped.

"This would stop his heart forever. Only then would he be free to give it to you" Gutknecht explained, slowly making his way to the mourning woman.

"I could never ask him" She sobbed, falling her knees, realizing she was going to lose him forever. And she thought they were going to be fine together after they made up! How wrong she was! How could she be so naive after all this time?!

Victor, deciding enough was enough, entered the kitchen, making his way over to his bride and friend. "You don't have to." Emily looked up at him with a gasp, surprised by his entrance, "I'll do it."

"My boy, if you chose this path, you may never return to the world above. Do you understand?" Gutknecht asked.

Victor took a deep breath and helped Emily to her feet, "I do."


	17. Chapter 17

**Me: ...I'msosorry! I completely forgot I hadn't finished uploading the story! I've been so lost inthe whole Christmas prpping me and my family have been doing! But I won't forget again! Here's the next chapter!**

After Victor helped Emily onto the skeleton horse, he called for the other corpses and skeletons, "Gather round. Gather round, everybody." Once the crowd settled and looked at him expectantly, "We've decided to do this thing properly. So grab what you can and follow us. We're moving this wedding party upstairs." That just got all the corpses excited and they rushed off to get ready, some of the women grabbing Emily and dragging her off to prepare.

" _A wedding. A wedding. We're going to have a wedding!_ " They all sang with excitement. Victor hopped off the platform and was about to follow, but Mrs. Widow slinked down on her silk, "Hold on, Victor. You can't get married looking like that." She whistled and some of her widow friends slinked down to help her.

" _The spiders think you're very cute, but goodness knows you need a suit. But have no fears we're quite adept. We'll have you looking lovely, lovely, lovely,_ " Victor laughed as the spiders crawled around his body, fixing his suit, but tickling him at the same time. " _A little stick, a little tuck. Some tender loving care. A little thread will fix you up and we've got plenty as you see. And personally guarantee our quality repairs. A little here I'll fix the mess. We're going to do our very best. When everybody sees you they will all be quite impressed. They will all be quite, impressed._ "

Victor showed off his improved suit to some of the male, who were, indeed, impressed and excited about the wedding and finally going up. " _A wedding! We're going to have-_ "

" _A wedding cake,_ " Mrs. Plum stated, showing the blueprints to her fellow cooks. " _Is no mistake. It must be quite sublime._ "

" _We're missing something_ " One cook said as Mrs. Plum stirred the batter.

" _Try some dust_ " the other offered, pouring in some of the aforementioned item.

" _I wish I had more time_ " Mrs. Plum sighed.

" _Perhaps there's something I can do. These bones might help a bit_ " the female cook offered, picking up a pile of bones and accidentally hitting the male in the head, knocking his nose out and into the batter.

" _My nose_ " He whined.

"Sorry."

" _Wait a minute,_ " Mrs. Plum cut in, tasting the batter, " _That's it! Viola!_ "

" _A little that._ "

" _A little this._ "

" _The perfect cake is hard to miss! A wedding! A wedding! We're going to have a wedding!_ "

Bonesapart was leading a march of soldier corpses through the town as they celebrated the upcoming marriage, " _Huzzah! Huzzah! We're going to have a wedding! A wedding! Let's all give out a cheer cause the bride is getting married today! Hooray!_ "

Bonesapart dragged Victor to a coffin they were pretending to be a boat, as they continued to announce their loyalty to Emily, they little corpse sister, " _One thing you can surely say is we will stand beside. Until the end we will defend our one and only bride. Our bride-to-be! Our bride-to-be! Our lovely corpse bride! Huzzah! Hooray! Huzzah! Hooray! Our bride is getting married today!_ "

Meanwhile, said bride was writing a letter as fast as she could. Once she finished it, she sealed it up and gave it to one of Elder Gutknecht's crows, "Take this it my mother please." The crow cawed and flew away before the woman cut in and began sprucing her up, gently brushing her hair and straightening her dress. Once they deem her presentable, they rushed down the stairs and waited for her descension.

"Oh there she is!" One skeleton pointed out as Emily slowly made her way down the stair, making everyone turn in that direction. Victor looked over to see his almost-wife, looking more beautiful than before. Apparently Mrs. Widow fixed the holes in her dress and added more silk to it looked shinier.

" _Oh, oh, the bride is here. She's waited for this day for few a year. For this day, for this day, our hopes and our pride, the bride is here. Here comes the bride._ " Mrs. Widow gestured for the other spiders to place the veil back on Emily's head and she began to dance around happily. She was finally getting her proper wedding! Maggot watched his friend/home, crying tears of happiness, glad she was finally getting her dream come true. " _For this day, for this day will last forever and all of her friends will work together. To make it the perfect day she's always dreamed. Our hopes and our pride, our bride, our lovely bride._ "

The barber corpse gave Victor a quick snip on a hair strand that was out of place, before the entire town started preparing to their trip. Mrs. Plum and her cooks brought the cake out, carrying the large piece of food that, of course, was enough for the whole town, " _We're going to have a party like nobody's ever seen. The living in the land above will not know where they've been. The land above. The party of, the bride._ "

" _Here comes the bride, on this glorious day of days. Up to the land of the living to celebrate!_ "

 _~Halloween Town!~_

Holly was decorating a present for her daughter, as it was her 3rd deathday (her 21st birthday). It was strange to the woman, seeing how she still wasn't home, but thought nothing of it. Perhaps Bonejangles had kept her in the Land of the Dead for a cheer-up party. She always was a bit of a Mopey Molly this time of year, even though it should be one of her happiest.

The trickster trio were helping her decorate the mansion. Well, they were supposed to be. But it seemed they've taken to annoying her poor husband instead. Jack growled lowly at the three adults, and pulled a face that used to scare them.

However, this time, they just laughed at him, "That doesn't scare us anymore! We're mature young adults!"

"You may be adults, but you're definitely _not_ mature!" Jack snapped, Zero whining at the fact that his master was upset. Snowden yowled as Shock zapped him with some electricity and jumped up onto Jack's head, digging his claws into the poor skeleton as the trio laughed maniacally.

Holly sighed and shook her head at their antics, "Do we need to take a trip to the tar pits again?" The three froze at the reminder of what she did all those years ago when her husband tried to steal Christmas. That wasn't a pleasant experience. Especially since she _left_ them there (Jack took them down before rushing off to save Holly, Sally, and Santa). "Then stop torturing my husband and get back to work."

Holly rubbed Snowden's head, making the cat relax and allowing her to pull him off Jack's head as the mischievous three began decorating again. Jack huffed and rubbed his head to ease the pain of the claws. "Oh stop that you big baby."

"But it hurt~" He whined.

Holly rolled her eyes and kissed him, making the pumpkin king cheer up. Holly went back to her present wrapping, when a knock at the window disrupted her thoughts. She walked over and opened it, allowing the crow inside. Holly gave it a look over and curiously took the letter it was biting, reading it.

She gaped at the words and re-read it to make sure she didn't imagine it. Once she was reassure, she immediately called out for everyone inside, "Jack! Sally! Idiot Trio! Stop whatever you're doing and get ready! We've got a wedding to go to!"

"Huh?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Me: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated for a few days. I've finally found my calling and figured out that I'm going to be an artist for a living so I've been working on some projects lately. But here's the second to last chapter! Next one will be, sadly, the last chapter being the epilogue. Please enjoy!**

Once all of the corpses had reach the land of the living, they...well, to be honest, they had frightened all of the living people, creating a panic. That is, until one little boy recognized his grandfather's corpse, and slowly, everyone began to calm down, finding their own family and friends among the crowd. Alfred was even reunited with his living wife, Gertrude.

They marched through the town, most of them still catching up with their loved ones, who didn't seem to care where they were heading, just that they got to spend more time with them. Pastor Galswells tried to banish them like demons, but he was simply brushed off, "Keep it down. We're in a church."

So shocked at the words, being reprimanded by a 'demon', Galswells dropped his staff and just stood there wide-eyed. Everyone settled into the pews as Victor took his place at the front with Elder Gutknecht taking over as the pastor, setting up the poison for Victor to later take.

One skeleton, who was designated as the pianist, began the wedding march as the flower children walked down the aisle, throwing the flowers onto the ground, as Emily slowly followed behind. Victor could nothing more but stare and smile at her.

Once she reached the front, Victor held out his hand to help her up to small staircase. She smiled up at him, taking her place beside him as Elder Gutknecht began, "Dearly beloved, and departed, we are gathered here today to join this man and this spirit in marriage. Living first."

Unbeknownst to any of them, Victoria had escaped from her horrible husband and had followed the crowd to the church, watching in slight shock as how Victor seemed to be perfectly fine stating his vows with everyone watching, not stuttering in the least. She was reprehensive about the whole thing, but, if this corpse, spirit, woman could make him feel this comfortable in a crowd, then she must be perfect for him.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine" Victor recited, holding up the empty goblet.

"Now you" Gutknecht gestured to Emily, who was practically giddy about finally getting married.

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. With this hand, you cup will never empty," Emily recited, grabbing the poison and pouring it into the cup, "For I will be," However, she stopped right in the middle of it, staring at the end of the aisle in shock and despair, recognizing the one standing at the doors.

"What?" Victor asked, frowning at his bride's reaction. She pointed a shaking bony finger towards the figure further, as tears gather in her eyes.

"Oh, how touching" Lord Barkis said, walking in as he pretended to wipe his eye, "I always cry at weddings." Victoria gasped from her spot by the pillars near the couple, before rushing over and hiding behind them instead, hoping at least Victor would help protect her, even if his bride didn't have the best first impression of her. "Our young lovers together at last. Surely now they can live happily ever after. But you forget, she's still my wife!" Barkis grabbed Victoria's arm and dragged her away from the two, even though they tried to hide her away.

"You" Emily gasped, memories entering her mind as she clutched her groom's arm, trembling.

"Emily?" Barkis gaped at the corpse. Yes, her coloring was different and she was missing skin around limbs, but she still had the same exact features.

"You" She snarled, her betrayal and hurt slowly turning into anger and hatred. How dare he? How dare this man interrupt her real wedding?! And how dare he try to do practically the same ploy on another woman?!

"But-but-I left you" Barkis stuttered. How could she be here?! He killed her! Well, then again, she was a corpse. But still. She's come back to haunt him and get revenge, hasn't she?!

"For dead" Emily growled lowly, but everyone in the church could hear her, making them all gasp at realization that this was the man who hurt their sweet bride. Some of the skeleton's even lost their jaws at the shock. But Victor, however, stiffened and glared at him. Does this man think he can just waltz right in here and make his spirit bride upset once more?!

"This woman is obviously delusional" Barkis argued, but saw it was pointless as all the corpses and skeletons stood up, ready to avenge Emily. Barkis grabbed Victoria and held her in his grip, before grabbing Bonesapart's sword and holding it to her neck. "Sorry to cut things short, but we must be on our way." 

"Take, your hands, off her" Victor demanded, not willing to see this man harm innocent Victoria like he did Emily.

"Do I have to kill you too?" He scoffed, before crying out in pain when Scraps ran over and chomped onto his ankle. He let go of Victoria as he shook the skeleton dog off his leg, and she instantly ran to Emily's protective stance as Mrs. Plum threw Victor something to use as a weapon.

"Victor, catch!" He instantly caught the item, only to deadpan at the serving fork. "Sorry."

Barkis didn't waste any time to start swinging at Victor, who blocked each one with the fork. It was better than no weapon at all so he might as well make due. They bumped into the table holding the poison, but otherwise ignored it as Elder Gutknecht steady the goblet. It was a precious liquid and not one to be spilled willy-nilly. Emily and Victoria watched with worry as Victor kept backing away from Barkis, who continuously attacked. Though they did have to giggle a bit when Victor hide behind a pillar and stabbed Barkis in the bottom.

"I say, you're not playing fair sir" One corpse said as they passed by him. Victor ducked as Barkis swung, making the sword get stuck on a pew from the force. Victor swiped forward, hoping to injure him in the slightest bit. But all he did was tear the man's suit. Victor gave a small inaudible whimper, before hiding under a pew when Barkis made his next attack. Except Barkis simply stabbed the bench, barely missing Victor's head, as said man gulped at the close call. Sure he was planning on dying, but he was hoping to go with the poison, not stabbed and slowly bleeding to death….

Victor quickly dodged another stabbed that aimed...lower, grateful for his luck so far in avoiding attacks, as that one could've been _way_ worse. Victor retaliated by stabbing upward and hitting Barkis' foot, making him shout in pain and tumble back, knocking the pews down. Emily quickly grabbed Victoria and moved her away from them before she could get hurt. The blow wouldn't harm the spirit, but it definitely would a human.

Barkis swung his sword and knocked the fork out of Victor's hand, before kicking the young man onto his back. Victor could do nothing but watch as Barkis went to stab him. However, his sword hit another mark. The room let out a gasp as Emily glared at Barkis, having protected her groom from the blow. Barkis had let go of the sword in his surprise, so Emily simply took it out and pointed it at her ex-fiance.

"Touche, my dear" Barkis remarked, backing up from the spirit.

"Get out" She ordered, her glare not letting up in the slightest.

"Oh, I'm leaving" Barkis chuckled, moving in a half-circle around her as Victor blocked Victoria from the man, just in case he tried something. Barkis then decided to mock the poor woman, "But first, a toast, to Emily. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Tell me, my dear, can a heart still break once it's stopped beating?"

The corpses in the church moved to attack the man for his hurtful words to Emily, her face betraying her turn feelings slightly at the harsh words that left her ex's mouth. Victor had to keep himself from moving forward to attack the man.

"Lemme at him! Lemme at him! No, don't hold me back!" Maggot snarled, as Elder Gutknecht used a bony finger to prevent him moving forward.

"Wait," He commanded, keeping the corpses back, "We must abide by their rules. We are amongst the living."

"Well said" Barkis taunted, saluting the skeleton, who frowned, wishing they didn't have that stupid rule. The man turned, starting to walking away from the crowd, making his exit. Emily shook as she glared after him, however, her glare soon turned into an evil grin that reminded all of the corpses and skeletons of her father, the great pumpkin king.

"You forget, Elder. I'm a citizen of Halloween Town. Therefore," She brought the sword back, "I do not have to follow your laws." And with that, she swung her hand forward, all the years of target practice with the trickster trio paying off as the sword flew through the air and struck Barkis in the back, in the heart, killing him instantly. Victoria had covered her eyes the moment Emily let the sword go, and Victor, well, he was a bit frightened of his bride, but didn't really feel any remorse or pity for the man who hurt her.

Maggot cackled maniacally as Barkis' body slowly turned blue as he turned into one of them, "He's not living any more."

"Yep. You're right. He's all yours" Elder Gutknecht said simply, allowing the angry mob after the now corpse Barkis, who screamed as they dragged him through the door, back below.

"New arrival" Mrs. Plum smirked as she closed the door behind her, leaving the Emily, Victor, Victoria, and Elder Gutknecht behind.

"Well, that wasn't creepy at all" Emily sighed sarcastically, shaking her head.

"You're the one who killed him" Victor remarked.

"Touche" Emily giggled.

"Are we late?! Are we late?!" A familiar woman burst into the church, dragging a sobbing skeleton behind her noting the practically empty church, "Oh we _are_ , aren't we! I knew we should've left sooner!"

"Mother!" Emily exclaimed happily, rushing over and hugging the white-haired woman.

"Hello Lady Holly" Elder Gutknecht greeted.

Holly let her daughter go and walked to the elderly skeleton, "Wonderful to see you again Elder!"

"Daddy? Are you...crying?" Emily gaped at her father, who was indeed crying.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel snickered from behind him, "He's been sobbing ever since Holly told him you were getting married!"

Sally rolled her eyes at her skeleton friend, "Honestly, Jack, you're overreacting." 

"I am not!" the pumpkin king whined.

Holly gasped as she noticed the gaping humans who were shocked by their sudden entrance, and immediately began shaking Victor's hand, "You must be the one Emily told us about in her letter! Welcome to the family!"

"You!" Jack shouted, glaring at the now scared man. He could see where his bride had gotten it from now, "You stole my baby from me!" 

"Oh ignore him" Holly patted Victor's shoulder, "A daddy's girl, she's always been. You should've seen the way she used her pout and teary eyes to get whatever she wanted when she was younger."

"Mother" Emily hissed, blushing a dark blue. 

"Oh hush. If he's going to join our family then he might as well hear about every embarrassing story about you." Emily whined as her three friends burst into laughter. The corpse looked over at her groom, who was slowly getting used to the new group.

"Just so you know, yes, they are like this all the time. Are you sure you still want to marry me?" Emily teased.

Victor chuckled, "And miss all this excitement?"

Lock, spotting Victoria, gave a flirty grin and slicked his hair back, "Well _hello_ there! What's your name, pretty lady?" Victoria, unused to such attention, blushed a bit and stuttered. Shock and Barrel rolled their eyes and dragged the devil away from the poor human.

"Are we having a wedding or not?" Sally asked innocently. Emily stuck her tongue out at the ragdoll, who chuckled at her goddaughter's antics.

Elder Gutknecht smiled at the couple, "Shall we start over?" 

Emily and Victor exchanged a smile.


	19. Chapter 19

**Me: Well, this is it! The last chapter of A Lovely Christmas Nightmare! Think of it as my early Christmas gift to you guys! (I, once again, apologize for taking so long). Please, Enjoy and Review!**

 _~Epilogue!~_

Emily and Victor were happily playing a duet together on the piano, both of their rings glittering in the light as their fingers glided around. Their wedding years ago was a success. Well, after the whole ordeal with Barkis. Victor was now a blue corpse, but he didn't mind as long as he was able to spend his (undead) life with Emily.

Nearby was Scraps and Zero, who were resting in their dog beds. The two dogs had gotten along wonderfully. Even with Snowden, who was currently curled up between the canines.

And the trickster trio, was now a trickster quartet. Lock, despite the others protest, didn't quite give up on Victoria and eventually won her heart, after many years of her resisting, which just kept his interests in her up. Victoria was turned into a half-demon with the help of Dr. Finklestein, and she ran away from her parents when they, once again, tried to marry her off. In reality, without her parents' influence around any longer, she was quite the prankster. Though it took a while for all of those horrid things they stuffed in her mind to leave.

Sally had reconciled with Dr. Finkelstein due to the influence of Mrs. Finkelstein, under the condition that he no longer tried to control her life, threatening to poison him with so much Deadly Nightshade, his brain would shut down. She and Bonejangles had started a thing but nobody really knew any more details.

Victor's parents had passed and moved into the Land of the Dead. Much to his horror. His mother kept screeching in his ear for running off and getting himself killed. Of course, he just _had_ to open his mouth and correct her by saying he had committed suicide to marry his spirit wife. And that just sent his mother off on a whole other rant. But she got along with Emily rather well, and the spirit was just happy her in-laws liked her, unlike Jack, who still had awkward silences with her mother's parents. The whole 'stealing Christmas' thing didn't help.

It took him some time, but Jack had finally forgiven Victor for 'stealing' Emily from him, much to Holly's amusement. He didn't mind so much now that they had their sweet little corpse grandchild, Noel. He moved his attention from Emily to Noel, but Emily will always be his little girl. Just like Noel will always be Victor's little girl. Who would've thought that the nervous man Emily first met would turn into a protective papa bear when it came to their daughter? Him and Jack now bond over ways to keep boys away from Noel when she grew older, and Emily was teaching Noel how to get things from both men with the teary pout trick.

Holly sighed as she overlooked the town from her balcony. She was still the fearsome pumpkin queen, but even _she_ needed a break every once and awhile. Now she understood why Jack tried to take Chrismas. He needed something new and was trying to fill that void he had. Luckily for her, he soon realized that she could be the one to fill that emptiness.

She jumped a bit when long bony arms wrapped around her waist, but she quickly settled down, realizing it was just her skeleton husband. "Do you always have to scare me?"

"I'm the pumpkin king. It's my job" He chuckled. She sighed and shook her head fondly, spotting Noel sneaking around the backyard with Gildarts, Shock and Barrel's son. It seems Jack and Victor have failed in their quest to keep boys away from her.

"Hard to imagine how much time has past" Holly muttered, looking up at the sky, "I feel old."

"You _are_ old. You're over three centuries."

"Shut up. I've never _felt_ old before. But now, we have a snowin' granddaughter. Do I look as old as I feel?" Holly pouted up at her husband.

"Well," Jack stroked his chin, "You _do_ have those gray hairs."

"Jerk" Holly muttered, "Stop teasing me. I'm being serious. And this is the part where you tell me I'm beautiful no matter what and you'll love me even if I'm old and wrinkly."

Jack laughed, pecking her forward, "I'll love you no matter how you look, even if you _do_ eventually gain wrinkles." Holly nodded happily, until his next words, "Then again, are those crows feet around your eyes?"

"That's it!" Holly growled at him and gave chase as he ran off laughing.

Emily and Victor paused their song as her parents burst into the room, circling it before exiting, her mother yelling death threats. They blinked, before shrugging them off and continuing. Emily, however, gained a devious idea and began to move her hands over, playing some of the major keys, which was Victor's designated section. He pouted at her and moves one hand into her minor chords until both of them were trying to play over one another in the opposite section. But in the middle of it, Victor's clumsy nature kicks in and he slips, knocking both of them to the floor. Emily giggles, "Victor, really? In the middle of the day?" He blushed at her tease and sat up, her following.

"Honestly Emily. You spend too much time with Lock" Victor sighed at his wife, who just giggled again.

Holly chased Jack through the town, avoiding all of the citizens walking about. Sally shook her head at the sight of those two. They acted as if they were a young couple, even though they've been together for over thirty years.

The white-haired woman chased her husband through the graveyard, not taking notice of her surroundings. She didn't even see Jack stop running and ran into him. However, he was prepared for it and quickly caught her in a dip, just like all those years ago. Holly rolled her eyes, "Alright, you can let me up now."

Jack just gave her an impish grin, "No thank you. I quite like you like this. In fact," Jack easily reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a familiar plant, holding it above them, "I think I can make this much better." Holly just laughed and pulled him down to her lips, locking his mouth in a kiss.

And everyone lives happily ever after. Except for Barkis Bittern, whose dead body was constantly tortured by the other corpses for all eternity in retaliation for hurting their innocent little corpse bride.


	20. IMPORTANT AN

It has been a couple years since I began writing and I have come to terms with the fact that I, was not that good of a writer. But that's ok, because everyone needs time to learn and grow in whatever they take a first shot at doing. I myself have grown as a writer. I have learn different techniques to make stories interesting and attention grabbing. And due to this, I have come to decide that it is time to upgrade my stories. All of my stories will have a bout of rewriting. It may take time, but I swear that I WILL get around to fixing AND finishing all of my stories. I no longer have school and my business is finally getting ready to take off. Since my business is a work at home sort of thing, I will of course have a lot of time with writing all of my stories. Hopefully it will not take TOO long to fix and finish the ones I already have up, but I make no direct promises to the time frame of it, as there are some that have long plots (mostly the ones based on shows). BUt there are some that I have completely given up on as I feel the plots I had written for them were not good in the first place and I have no inspiration to try continuing with them. I have written the list below, but the list will also be on my profile. This note will be taken down depending on the story, but only when I begin reposting the new stories. For example, I'm going to start with my Twilight story, as it is one of the few that I have actually finished and I feel needs the most work (though my Howl's Moving Castle one is a very close second), so once that is completely rewritten, I will start posting the story and deleting all the old chapters, including this note. I have made the list according to the order I will work on them (though this isn't exact as I may in fact change the list according to inspirations that I feel).

 _ **Rewriting:**_

Angelic Twilight

The Wizard and the Half-Demon (I am debating a new title)

A Whole New World Series

Life in Ouran HighSchool Host Club (New plot as well as new title)

Pride and Oddness

The Dwarf's Hobbit

The Dragon Princess

Queen of Flames

Aura: The Last Airbender

The Marvelous Cheetara (This one is AS much of an abomination as my other stories, which is why it's last on the list)

 _ **Debating: This is for the ones that I may get around to rewriting, but there is also a great possibility of it being deleted**_

Usui's Cousin

Ice Age: My Version

Me and My Emperor

A Lovely Christmas Nightmare

 _ **Deleting:**_

Frozen 2

History Has Never Been So Messed Up


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